'2 people died in manhole' Chairman of Incheon Environment Corporation sent for violation of the Severe Sexual Harassment Act

The Central Regional Employment and Labor Office announced that it had booked Incheon Environment Corporation Chairman A without detention on charges of violating the Serious Accident Punishment Act in connection with a manhole accident that killed two people last year and sent him to the Incheon Regional Public Prosecution Office.

On charges of violating the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Mr. B, an Incheon Environmental Corporation official, and others were sent to Incheon Environmental Corporation, a corporation, in accordance with the dual punishment regulations.

Chairman A and others are suspected of causing the deaths of Mr. C, a representative of a subcontractor, and Mr. D, a daily worker, by failing to properly take safety and health measures related to manholes during an investigation into the status of a sewage pipe in a manhole in Byeongbang-dong, Gyeyang-gu, Incheon in July last year.

Mr. C and Mr. D were poisoned by harmful gases while working.

This accident occurred during a ‘multi-layered subcontracting relationship’. Incheon Environment Corporation prohibited subcontracting in its task instructions, but the service company subcontracted to another company, and the subcontractor subcontracted to a company run by Mr. C.

Based on past precedents, the Central Employment Agency determined that Incheon Environmental Corporation, the ordering party, was the contractor, considering that it controlled and managed the location where the accident occurred. The contractor has an obligation to take safety and health measures for subcontracted workers to prevent industrial accidents.

Previously, the police sent 18 people, including 4 current and former employees of the Incheon Environment Corporation, including Mr. B, 6 related company officials, and 8 license holders, to the Public Prosecution Office on charges of manslaughter due to occupational negligence and obstruction of bidding, as well as 2 subcontractors who carried out survey work without qualifications.

During the police investigation, it was also confirmed that the former chairman of the Incheon Environment Corporation had leaked the relevant bidding information to the representative of the service company in advance.