The Korea Employers Federation (KEF) has conducted a survey on the status of corporate safety investments and the improvement of policies to prevent serious accidents. The survey reveals that despite three years since the implementation of the Serious Accident Punishment Act (SAPA), there remains a significant disparity in safety investments based on the size of companies, with up to a 1,255-fold difference in investment amounts. Additionally, 42% of respondents believe that the government’s safety policies have not been effective in reducing fatal accidents. Most companies also expressed the need for amendments to the law.
The survey involved 202 domestic companies and assessed changes in the workforce dedicated to safety since the SAPA came into effect in January 2022. According to the survey, 63% of the companies reported an increase in such personnel. Large businesses with over 1,000 employees increased their safety personnel by an average of 52.9, whereas smaller businesses saw much smaller increases.
Regarding safety management budgets, 72% reported an increase. However, the budget increment for businesses with over 1,000 employees averaged 62.76 billion won, while businesses with fewer than 50 employees only saw a 50 million won increase, highlighting a dramatic difference.
The KEF pointed out that smaller companies, due to limited financial resources, rely heavily on government consulting and financial support for securing professional personnel and improving working conditions.
The companies surveyed identified “excessive paperwork resulting in administrative inefficiency” as the primary challenge in safety management (62% of multiple responses). Regarding the effectiveness of the government’s industrial safety policies in reducing fatalities, 42% gave a negative response. The most suggested policy shift was changing the focus from punishment to guidance and support (50% of multiple responses).
When asked about compliance with SAPA obligations, 71% of companies stated they had fully completed them. However, the compliance rate was only 53% among companies with fewer than 50 employees.
Moreover, 81% of the responding companies indicated the need to amend the SAPA, with 47% prioritizing the clarification of management responsibilities related to safety and health legislation.
The KEF emphasized that although companies are increasing their personnel and budgets for preventing serious accidents, the effect on reducing fatal accidents is not yet evident. They recommended promptly revising ineffective safety legislation to achieve a tangible reduction in industrial accidents.