Train Track Worker Accident with 7 Casualties Raises Possibility of Negligent Management [Comprehensive Report 2]

[Financial News]  Workers near the tracks for inspecting facilities were hit by a Mugunghwa train in operation, resulting in 7 deaths or injuries. The fact that they were near the tracks when the train was passing suggests a high possibility of negligent management. If confirmed, the Serious Accident Punishment Act could be applied, and the business owner may be punished.
According to the police on the 19th, at around 10:52 a.m., a Mugunghwa train (No. 1903) traveling from Dongdaegu Station to Jinju, Gyeongnam, hit 7 workers moving near the tracks for work near the Cheongdo Bullfighting Stadium on the Gyeongbu Line in Samshin-ri, Hwayang-eup, Cheongdo-gun.
As a result of the accident, 2 workers died, and the remaining 5 were seriously injured and taken to nearby hospitals. It is reported that some of the seriously injured are in critical condition.
Among the accident workers, 6 are from a company specializing in structural safety inspections, and 1 is from KORAIL. It is reported that both deceased workers were from the structural safety inspection company. There were 89 passengers on the train at the time of the accident, and none of the passengers were injured.
The workers were moving to inspect the slope structure damage in the Namseonghyeon Station∼Cheongdo Station section of the Gyeongbu Line caused by recent heavy rain.
Typically, workers performing track work move along the roadbed (the foundation for laying railroad tracks) rather than the tracks.
However, it is reported that the accident workers were walking around the tracks instead of the roadbed. Also, the accident occurred during the time the train was passing. The reason why these workers moved in this manner has not yet been confirmed.
Experts believe that the accident occurred in a 'curved section,' so the train engineer might not have been able to see the workers until just before the accident point. It is reported that the accident site was about 120 meters away from the curve section. Additionally, since the accident train was a low-noise electric train, the workers might not have been aware of the train's approach.
However, there is a view that this is a typical 'man-made disaster' because workers have moved before the train enters or after it has completely passed when working near the tracks. There is a possibility of negligence in safety management by the business owner and manager or a malfunction in the evacuation signal system.
Immediately after the accident, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is identifying the accident's circumstances and supporting the site with the Railway Safety Policy Officer, Railway Safety Inspector, and Railway Police. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to take strict measures with a zero-tolerance principle if there are any violations of the Railway Safety Act.
The Daegu Employment and Labor Office has launched an investigation into violations of the Serious Accident Punishment Act. This law applies when a business owner or management responsible for safety and health neglects safety and health measures, resulting in the death of one or more workers (including subcontractors).
The police are also investigating whether the companies to which the workers belong and the work managers took safety measures according to the Railway Safety Act and other related laws.
The Labor Office and police are reviewing cases of punishment after similar accidents, even though it was before the implementation of the Serious Accident Punishment Act.
In November 2014, when 48 people, including workers inspecting the tracks, were injured due to a train collision while a train was stopped due to a breakdown in the Sinwol Tunnel (Taebaek Line) in Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, the business owner was prosecuted for violating safety obligations (Railway Safety Act). At that time, the court ordered a fine of 100 million won and measures to prevent recurrence.
In November 2011, workers performing frost prevention track maintenance between Gyeyang Station and Geomam Station on the Incheon Airport Railroad were hit by a subsequent train while staying on the tracks. As a result, 5 people died and 1 was seriously injured. The prosecution applied the Industrial Safety and Health Act and the Railway Safety Act to bring the business owner and others to trial.


425_sama@fnnews.com Choi Seung-han Reporter