Seoul, South Korea – Over 8,400 environmental sanitation workers in South Korea experienced work-related accidents or illnesses last year, wiht disease-related deaths accounting for a majority – 54% – of fatalities, according to newly released data.This marks a significant increase in reported incidents and underscores the dangerous conditions faced by those responsible for maintaining public cleanliness.
The alarming figures reveal a persistent and escalating crisis within the environmental sanitation sector. In the past five years, 723 workers have died on the job and filed for survivor benefits. A considerable portion of these deaths – 275 – were attributed to cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases, with an estimated one-third linked to overwork. The primary cause of industrial accidents remains ”night labor,” as sanitation workers often operate during peak traffic and reduced visibility hours.
Despite Ministry of Habitat guidelines recommending work hours between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., many local governments continue to authorize nighttime shifts due to resident complaints and urgent waste management needs. Only two out of seoul’s 25 autonomous districts adhere to the recommended schedule.
The National Democratic Union recently held a press conference demanding greater accountability from local offices, specifically citing the Gangseo-gu Office as the “real user” responsible for worker management and oversight. “In order to fundamentally reduce the repeated environmental disasters, we must go beyond simple measures to secure budgets, supply safety equipment, expand dedicated personnel, and improve the working environment,” stated Representative Park Hae-cheol.
A recent incident in Hwagok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, highlighted the risks, where a 50-year-old worker was fatally struck while working behind a collection vehicle. these incidents fuel calls for systemic changes to prioritize worker safety and well-being within the environmental sanitation industry.