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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Eun-mi] The labor union of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has raised concerns over safety lapses following a fatal fire at its Ulsan shipyard, claiming that basic safety protocols were not followed at the time of the incident.
According to the union on April 14, the fire broke out on April 9 inside a submarine under maintenance at the company’s headquarters, resulting in the death of a subcontracted worker.
In a statement, the union said the accident occurred in a confined space where standard procedures require operations to be conducted by teams of two with external monitoring. “These basic safety rules were not observed,” the union alleged.
It added that although the situation had been reported to site managers, work proceeded without implementing safety measures required under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The union also noted that due to noise and structural constraints, internal alarms within the submarine did not reach lower work areas.
The union further claimed that risk control was not adequately secured even after the initial fire was extinguished. “Despite awareness of battery-related hazards, rescue operations were carried out without cutting power, leading to a secondary explosion,” it said.
The union criticized the broader working environment, stating that the incident reflects systemic issues such as subcontracting and multi-layered outsourcing, where “instructions come from above, but on-site risks are borne by individual workers.”
It called on the Ministry of Employment and Labor to conduct a thorough investigation and identify those responsible, emphasizing that accountability must be established.
The union also announced that it is conducting special safety inspections across all worksites and will hold mandatory safety training sessions for production and support staff on April 15.
Alphabiz 김은미 인턴기자(kfootle@alphabiz.co.kr)
