Worker in His 40s Dies After Being Crushed at Ottogi Affiliate Plant... "Actively Cooperating with Investigation"

A worker in his 40s at an Ottogi affiliate plant that produces canned seafood and Cup Noodles died four days after receiving treatment for being crushed by a robotizer facility.

According to the Goseong Police Station in Gyeongnam Province, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and Ottogi, a man in his 40 identified as A, who worked for a subcontractor at OttogiSF located in Goseong-eup, Goseong-gun, was crushed by a robotizer facility at around 11:59 a.m. on September 21.

Mr. A was rushed to the hospital immediately after the accident and underwent surgery for a lumbar burst fracture.

Although he received treatment in the trauma intensive care unit afterward, he passed away at around 10:30 p.m. on September 25.

Ottogi explained that Mr. A died after developing sepsis and acute renal failure during the course of treatment.

At the time of the accident, a problem occurred during a robotizer pallet loading test for export products, prompting workers to stop the facility and complete corrective measures.

Afterward, workers were instructed to move outside the robotizer workspace before the facility was restarted.

However, failing to notice that Mr. A was organizing products on a pallet inside, his upper body was crushed by the equipment.

It was confirmed that the workplace to which Mr. A belonged is subject to the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

Police are investigating the exact circumstances of the accident and whether there was any negligence on the part of the company.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor issued a work suspension order at the accident site on the day Mr. A passed away.

In addition, the ministry plans to investigate site officials and others for potential violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

The funeral procedures for Mr. A concluded today, September 28, following consultations with the bereaved family.

Ottogi stated, "As the initial investigations by the police and the Ministry of Labor have concluded, we are doing our utmost to help stabilize the bereaved family psychologically," adding, "We will actively cooperate with future legal and administrative procedures, meticulously care for the honors and respects due to the deceased and the bereaved family, and do our absolute best in every aspect the company can handle."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.