KOSHA works together with department stores for workers’ safety and health

and signs MOU with them to support joint programs and take care of service workers

June 27, 2013

President Hun-ki Baek of KOSHA signed Memorandum of Understanding on June 27, with his counterparts of Lotte Department store, Shinsegye Department store, Han-hwa Galleria, Hyundai Department store, AK Plaza Department store in en effort to make the workplaces safe.

The MOU was signed with rising voice for safety of workers at partner companies of the large conglomerates and is meaningful in that representative companies in the distribution industry, department stores, would pursue workers not only in headquarters but partner companies.

The wholesale and retail trading sector including the distribution companies has been witnessing rising accident cases especially among their partner companies with lack of management.

In particular building cleaning, facilities repairing, parking services are the sectors where workers are the most widely exposed to occupational risks.

In addition, workers involved in the emotional labor are also the targets of the intervention with recently increasing concern for them.

The number of workers involved in the emotional labor is around 5.5 million among which 3.5 million are working with customers face to face.

They have high chance to get mental illnesses due to verbal violence and other reasons while dealing with the customers. Also some of them are widely exposed to possibility of musculoskeletal disorders.

In that sense, KOSHA decided to work with department stores and signed MOU on supporting workers’ safety and health not only in the headquarters but in partner companies.

According to the MOU, KOSHA supports the five department stores to run joint program with their partners by giving consulting; set up OSH management system through technical assistance.

In addition, KOSHA plans to carry out joint campaigns with those conglomerates by engaging them in signing to show their commitment

President Baek pointed out rising concern over workers’ safety and health who are involved in the emotional labor, and workers should be treated as they treat customers. He added that this MOU with the five large department stores would be an opportunity to level up the safety and health of workers in the service sector.

President Baek (4^th from the left) is taking a photo after signing the MOU.