Charred ruins: A joint investigation team comprising forensic and other experts checking the scene at the site of the burnt lithium battery plant in Hwaseong. — AP
Aricell, a lithium battery plant that recently experienced a fatal fire resulting in 23 deaths, had not undergone any government industrial safety inspections in the past five years, despite the hazardous nature of the materials it was using, according to the Employment and Labour Ministry.
Data obtained by Democratic Party lawmaker Park Hae-cheol from the Ministry of Labour and Employment confirms that no government industrial safety inspections or supervision had been conducted at Aricell in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi province, during the past five years.
Annually, the ministry selects high-risk workplaces, particularly those involving dangerous machinery and hazardous substances, for industrial safety supervision and inspections.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act mandates the Employment and Labour Ministry to oversee and inspect workplace safety to prevent industrial accidents and protect workers.
High-risk workplaces, especially those handling hazardous materials or operating dangerous machinery, must undergo stringent safety inspections and comply with regulations.
The police are focusing their investigation into the deadly fire on two main aspects: determining the cause of the fire and understanding why there was such a large number of casualties.
The Gyeonggi Nambu provincial Police Agency’s special investigation team on Friday said they are intensifying their efforts.
They consider the incident a disaster caused by comprehensive negligence rather than isolated factors.— The Korea Herald/ANN
