JEONNAM-GWANGJU — The Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry has joined the Ministry of Employment and Labor in an effort to close safety gaps at manufacturing sites in the region. The campaign went beyond publicity, demonstrating the chamber's ability to connect government policy with conditions on the factory floor.
The chamber said on the 2nd that it ran a worker safety awareness campaign throughout September for 418 employees at six local companies that manufacture converged home appliances. The campaign was organized as part of "Safety Work-Up," a component of the Employment Environment Innovation Package for the Converged Home Appliance Industry, which is supported by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City.
The chamber visited companies and workers directly so that the government's industrial safety policy would take hold at actual work sites. Rather than simply distributing information, it used a coffee truck for an on-site program that lowered the barrier to participation for workers.
The campaign was titled "Safety Drink." Chamber staff visited the workplaces of participating companies, served beverages to workers and walked them through safety rules in a casual setting.
Posters listing 12 core safety rules covering five categories of serious industrial accidents were distributed at the sites. Workers also received guidance on major types of workplace accidents, including falls, entrapment, collisions, fire and explosion, and asphyxiation.
Through the campaign, the chamber emphasized safety rules that workers can put into practice immediately, such as wearing protective gear, checking for hazards before starting work and keeping work areas tidy. The program was designed so that workers could take part without feeling pressured.
By delivering the safety message over a cup of coffee, the campaign moved away from rigid classroom-style training and encouraged workers to make safety part of their daily routine.
The chamber said it plans to continue site-centered programs as a regional partner of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, aiming to improve employment conditions in manufacturing and establish a culture of safety.
"I hope this campaign becomes an occasion for workers to put safety rules into daily practice, such as checking for hazards before starting work and wearing protective gear," said Chae Hwa-seok, standing vice chairman of the Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "The chamber will continue to work actively with the Ministry of Employment and Labor so that a sustainable culture of safety takes root at industrial sites in the region."
