Court Sentences CEO for Worker’s Heatstroke Death in Landmark Case
In a significant ruling, the Daejeon District Court has sentenced the CEO of a primary contractor to a suspended prison term following the death of a worker from heatstroke at a construction site. This case marks the first application of the Serious Accident Punishment Act in relation to a worker's death from heatstroke.
On June 13, Judge Lee Jae-min of the Daejeon District Court's Criminal Division 12 sentenced CEO A to one year in prison, suspended for two years, for violating the Serious Accident Punishment Act. Additionally, site manager B from the primary contractor received an eight-month suspended sentence, while the primary contractor was fined 80 million won and the subcontractor was fined 6 million won.
The incident occurred in July 2022 at a construction site in Tapnip-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, where a worker from a subcontractor collapsed and died from heatstroke during concrete pouring operations amid a heatwave. Reports indicate that the worker's body temperature exceeded 40 degrees Celsius at the time of the incident.
Prosecutors determined that CEO A failed to identify hazardous conditions such as extreme heat and did not have a proper safety manual for serious industrial accidents. Site manager B was accused of not providing adequate rest breaks, rest areas, or hydration for workers laboring in the heat. Although another site manager from the subcontractor was also charged, the case against him was dismissed after he passed away during the trial due to a pre-existing condition.
Prosecutors emphasized that this case represents the first instance of applying the Serious Accident Punishment Act to a CEO in connection with a worker's death from heatstroke. Judge Lee remarked on the irreversible and grave outcome of the victim's death, noting that despite ongoing safety measures, tragic accidents continue to occur. He considered the defendants' acknowledgment of their charges and their settlement with the victim's family when determining the sentence.
