Research Reports

Korea has achieved one of the highest economic growth in the world during a short period of time. However, as a side effect of the compressed growth, the facts related to industrial safety are mostly negative, especially in construction industry. In this study, the various data including the number of fatalities among OECD countries were compared to analyze the current safety status of the Korean construction industry. Main findings are as followings. First, the number of fatalities in the Korean construction industry was 506 in 2017, the second highest among 35 OECD member countries. Compared the 2010, the number has decreased by 4.2%, but it was about 1.6%p lower than the OECD average, 5.8%. Second, the number of employment was about 2 millions in 2017, the 7th largest among 36 OECD member countries. Compared the 2010, the number has increased by 12.4%, about two times higher than the OECD average, 6.3%. The Korean construction industry’s GDP was about 24,429.7 billion U.S dollars in 2017, the 8th highest among OECD members. Compared to 2010, the GDP has increased by 70.6%(5th), showing about 4.7 times higher than the OECD average, 14.9%. Fourth, the number of fatalities per 100,000 workers in the Korean construction industry was 25.45 in 2017, the highest among OECD members. Compared the 2010, the rate has decreased by 14.8%, showing 3.4%p higher than the OECD average, 11.4%. Fifth, the number of fatalities per million dolloars of GDP in the Korean construction industry was 56.52 in 2017, the second highest among OECD members. Compared the 2010, the rate has decreased by 43.8%, showing 25.7%p higher than the OECD average, 18.1%. This study showed that the Korean construction industry has improved in a more positive direction than the OECD average in three aspects : economy(GDP), employment (number of workers), safety(number of fatalities per 100,000 workers).