TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan recorded 50 deaths from major workplace accidents in the first quarter, down 15% from a year earlier, the labor ministry said Tuesday.
CNA reported the number fell from 59 deaths in the same period last year. The ministry said it released the data to improve transparency and help prevent future accidents.
Construction remained the deadliest industry, with 27 deaths, or 54% of the total. Falls were the leading cause of death in the sector, killing 17 workers.
Manufacturing recorded 15 deaths during the same period. New Taipei and Taoyuan reported seven deaths each, the highest among Taiwan’s cities and counties.
Tainan reported six deaths. Compared with the same period last year, Taichung recorded eight fewer deaths and Changhua County recorded three fewer, while New Taipei recorded three more and the Southern Taiwan Science Park recorded two more, per UDN.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration official Tsao Chang-cheng (曹常成) said the overall number of deaths was falling, but construction remained a high-risk industry. He said stronger safety controls were still needed, per Economic Daily News.
Tsao said Taichung’s decline showed prevention measures can work. He said the city has encouraged large companies to help smaller contractors improve safety and has focused inspections on work done at heights.
The ministry said it began a workplace safety improvement plan in January to reduce accidents. The plan includes stronger inspections and more work suspension orders for companies where accidents happen repeatedly, per Liberty Times.
Companies with repeated accidents must also send senior managers to safety reviews before suspended work can restart. The ministry said the rule is meant to make company leaders take more responsibility for workplace safety, RTI reported.
The ministry said it will continue to publish major workplace accident data. It said it will also work with local governments and industry groups to help companies improve safety management.
