Circumstances have emerged suggesting that safety protocols, including the two-person work rule, were not properly followed at a recycling plant in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, where a worker died after being crushed by machinery.

At approximately 2:30 p.m. yesterday (June 22), a man in his 50s, identified as A, died after being caught in a machine while clearing debris from the floor inside a compactor at the recycling facility in Gimpo.

The victim's family told SBS, "We were told by an official that one person left the area while they were supposed to be working in a two-person team," adding, "He was left trapped for over a minute and 30 seconds."

They further claimed, "The safety device that is supposed to automatically stop the machine when the safety door is opened did not function properly," and added, "Because the two-person rule was not followed, there was no one there to press the emergency stop button."

The police and the Ministry of Employment and Labor plan to investigate whether the facility complied with safety regulations, including the two-person work rule.

(Photo: Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)