HL Mando accused of faking safety records after fatal accident

Automotive parts manufacturer HL Mando faces serious allegations of submitting falsified safety records to the Ministry of Employment and Labor following a fatal accident that claimed the life of a 20-year-old contract worker. The incident has intensified scrutiny on the company's safety management practices.

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The company submitted meeting minutes to the Ministry of Labor, claiming they had supplemented the operating system for safety procedures, such as preventing the accidental operation of machinery.

According to reports, HL Mando allegedly did not convene its second-quarter Industrial Safety and Health Committee meeting but proceeded to create and submit meeting minutes to the ministry's Pyeongtaek branch. These fabricated minutes reportedly detailed plans to improve safety procedures, including measures to prevent the accidental startup of machinery, such as the Lock-Out, Tag-Out (LOTO) system.

The victim, Kim Seung-mo, was a contract worker performing equipment checks inside machinery when an HL Mando supervisor, unaware of his presence, instructed another worker to test-run the equipment. The machine lacked a safety interlock that would stop operation when the door is open, and no safety supervisor was present to oversee the work.

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If the safety procedures mentioned in the second quarter meeting minutes had been properly implemented, this accident could have been prevented.

Critics argue that if the safety procedures mentioned in the fabricated minutes had been properly implemented, the accident could have been prevented. This is not the first instance of alleged negligence; HL Mando has been criticized for holding its safety committee meetings infrequently, sometimes only once a year, and often operating with only the union's signature rather than substantive deliberation.

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The subcontractor is not subject to the Serious Accidents Punishment Act or punitive damages.

Adding to the controversy, HL Mando's legal representatives reportedly informed the victim's family that the subcontractor Kim Seung-mo belonged to has fewer than five employees, thus exempting the company from the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. However, the Ministry of Employment and Labor considers the case subject to the act and is investigating potential violations by both the subcontractor and HL Mando. The Metal Workers' Union has formed a committee to address the incident and is demanding an end to attempts to restart operations and direct contact with the bereaved family.

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We replaced the Industrial Safety and Health Committee meeting with written procedures under labor-management consultation. We will do our best to implement necessary safety measures for accident investigation and prevention.