One Worker Killed and Two Injured at PyeongChang, site of the 2018 Winter Olympics

05 June 2017 22:23

A worker has died and others have been hospitalized, after a concrete structure fell on them while working on a tunnel in PyeongChang, South Korea. They were working a project to double the track for the Wongju-Gangneung railway line. PyeongChang will host the 2018 Winter Olympics. To date three workers have died at construction projects related to the 2018 Winter Olympics.

“Mounting pressure to complete infrastructure ahead of the Winter Olympics is taking its toll, and workers are paying with their lives,” said BWI General Secretary Ambet Yuson. “We extend our deepest condolences to their families and fellow workers in this difficult time.”

“Workers need to know that their worksite is a healthy and safe environment, and employers have a responsibility to ensure accordingly. In South Korea, where accidental rates in the construction sector are extremely high, the government must hold employers accountable for safety violations. We are advocating for stiff sentences and main contractor liability throughout the subcontracting line,” he continued.