Labor ministry's polytechnic colleges issue first field safety handbook

Korea Polytechnics, run under the labor ministry, has produced its first field safety handbook for about 850 workers in facility management, cleaning and catering jobs across its campuses, the ministry said Wednesday.

The guide was built from what those workers said they needed. The college surveyed 145 of its campus staff from May to June, asking what safety information and materials would help them on the job.

Facility-specific risk factors and safety measures were the most-requested item, chosen by 41.4 percent of respondents. A further 39.3 percent wanted safety and health signage reachable by QR code, and 11.0 percent asked for a collection of industrial accident cases from within the colleges.

The handbook sets out core risks and preventive measures separately for each job category, and carries pre-work checklists, a personal protective equipment verification sheet and a log for the pre-work safety meeting known as TBM. Recent accidents on the colleges' campuses are included with their causes and prevention measures. QR codes link to industrial safety videos from the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, and the guide also covers emergency response, including CPR, fire evacuation and the initial suppression of a fire.

"Safety materials made at a desk end up in a drawer, and those made with the voice of the field end up in a work suit pocket," Lee Chul-soo, chairman of Korea Polytechnics, said in a statement.

"As the first practical safety material made from what field workers asked for and from accidents that actually happened on our campuses, we will use it as a starting point for making a workplace where every member can work with peace of mind," Lee said.