Serious Accident Siren tops 94,000 subscribers as labor ministry publishes prevention booklet

The Ministry of Employment and Labor has published the "2025 Serious Accident Siren" booklet, compiling accident case studies and safety materials distributed last year to help prevent serious workplace accidents. Subscribers to the Serious Accident Siren service have grown consistently since its launch, surpassing 94,000.

The ministry announced Monday it had published the booklet, which brings together all industrial accident prevention materials distributed through the Serious Accident Siren open chat channel last year.

The Serious Accident Siren is an information-sharing platform the ministry has operated since February 2023. It provides real-time updates on accident cases when serious incidents occur, along with prevention measures for similar accidents and information on seasonal hazards.

The materials are currently used by local governments, public institutions, universities and private workplaces for safety education, risk assessments and pre-work safety briefings, known as toolbox meetings. Manufacturers are increasingly sharing accident cases at pre-shift safety meetings, while construction sites are using the materials for morning safety briefings.

Subscriber numbers have grown rapidly. The platform had 47,000 subscribers in 2023 and 72,000 in 2024, reaching 94,000 as of May this year. The ministry believes actual usage is far broader, given how widely the materials are distributed through companies and educational institutions.

The booklet contains more than 450 items, including serious accident notifications and seasonal hazard prevention materials distributed last year. It covers crushing and overturning accidents in manufacturing, struck-by accidents in construction, and prevention guidelines for heat waves, fires and explosions.

Since last year, the ministry has offered translations in 17 languages — including Chinese, Vietnamese and Nepali — to serve foreign workers. AI-generated illustrations have also been applied to accident scenario graphics to improve clarity and comprehension.

In addition, the ministry plans to upgrade the industrial safety portal this year so users can search Serious Accident Siren materials by accident date, industry, accident type and region.

Ryu Hyeon-cheol, head of the Occupational Safety and Health Bureau, said many serious workplace accidents are repeats of past incidents such as falls and entrapments. "If workers remember past accident cases through the Siren and address hazards through pre-work inspections, a large number of serious accidents can be prevented," he said.