Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) announced special measures to prevent serious safety accidents, calling for ensuring safety prior to work, the company said at KEPCO Art Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Jan. 9.
KEPCO decided to establish field-oriented safety steps, including one designed to meet safety requirements prior to work, to prevent three kinds of fatal disasters, including electrocution, and put them into practice.
In order to prevent electrocution, steps such as separation of dangerous factors will be taken, the corporation said.
The steps were taken in accordance with the enforcement of the Act on the Punishment of Serious Disasters, effective on Jan. 27.
KEPCO has been pursuing a transition to smart sticks, not contacting electric lines, since 2018. But KEPCO crewmembers have still used the process for 30 percent of their work.
The power company plans to phase out direct contact with electric lines.
KEPCO plans to expand the time power is cut prior to work being done. Crewmembers are banned from climbing electric poles to prevent accidents related to falling.
When aerial lift trucks and other equipment are not available, exceptions will be allowed with prior safety measures being taken.
KEPCO has installed facilities to prevent falling from steel towers. Installation of such facilities will be completed by 2023, three years earlier than planned.
KEPCO is shifting from an efficiency-oriented field management paradigm to safety-oriented one.
A safety official will be dispatched to each electric work site. A real name manpower and equipment system will be in place to ascertain whether field sites correspond to prior reports.
If anything illegal is discovered, a line stop order will be issued, and penalties will be imposed on the related company.
KEPCO plans to expand incentives to companies recognized for achieving accident-free goals and credited for fulfilling safety requirements.
KEPCO plans to introduce a “one-strike out system” for companies found to be engaged in unfair practices, such as illegal subcontracting.
Educational programs on safety and skill for crewmembers with power distribution firms will be expanded at 15 specialized educational institutions.
KEPCO has set aside 2.5 trillion won for safety in a budget this year, about 200 billion won more than the previous year.
Among electric facilities under management of KEPCO are 9,730,000 electric poles, 43,695 steel towers, and 982 substations. They are located across the nation.
An average of about 1,500 electric equipment construction and maintenance cases are done per day, for an annual average of 280,000 cases.
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