Labor Ministry launches month-long inspection drive to prevent rooftop solar fall accidents

The Ministry of Employment and Labor is launching a month-long intensive inspection drive to prevent fall accidents, as rooftop repair and solar panel installation work is expected to increase this autumn.

The ministry said it will designate Monday through Oct. 27 as an intensive inspection period for rooftop and solar construction work and issue a "fall warning." The move follows a series of fatal accidents at rooftop repair and demolition sites. The ministry will run prevention campaigns with local governments and related agencies while also conducting on-site inspections.

Rooftop and solar installation work is often short-term and small-scale, making it easy for safety measures to be neglected. Aging skylights, slate panels and sandwich panels also risk breaking under a worker's weight. According to the ministry, skylight collapses accounted for a large share of accidents in the first half of this year, while more recent incidents have involved falls caused by broken slate panels and torn rooftop tarps.

The ministry provided technical support through 200 dedicated rooftop safety officers to 1,116 fertilizer manufacturing factories where multiple fall accidents occurred this year. Safety and health materials along with financial support guidance were distributed to 432 tarp manufacturers and installers. Safety materials for foreign workers were also translated into 17 languages, including Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese.

"Roofing materials such as skylights, slate and tarps are prone to cracking or tearing as they age, making proper safety measures absolutely essential," said Oh Young-min, director general of the ministry's Occupational Safety and Health Inspection Bureau. "The government covers up to 90 percent of the cost of installing safety harness anchor points, fall-protection nets and skylight covers for small businesses, so please ensure safety is in place before starting work."