South Korea Worker’s Crushing Death by Robot Underscores Dangers of Working with Heavy Machines

Crushing injuries are no doubt some of the most catastrophic injuries that can happen in any workplace, and often leave a worker severely injured and disabled, or perhaps even dead. Unfortunately, such an accident is making headlines across the globe this week after a worker was killed in a crushing accident by a robot in South Korea. According to reports, the horrific accident occurred on November 9, in the southern county of Goseong in South Korea at a vegetable packing plant. The worker who was involved in the fatal workplace accident, and whose name has not been released yet, is said to have been “grabbed and pressed” against a conveyor belt by a heavy machine’s robotic arms. The machine was one of two at the packing plant. Tragically, the worker had been sent to the packing plant by his employer, a company that installs such industrial robotic machines, to check whether the machine was, in fact, working properly. Investigations into whether the machine was, indeed, unsafe or defective at the time of the accident, are still ongoing.

Of the machine, Goseong Police Station investigator Kang Kin-gi stated, “It wasn’t an advanced, artificial intelligence-powered robot, but a machine that simply picks up boxes and puts them on pallets.” Another law enforcement officer also noted that “It’s clearly not a case where a robot confused a human with a box – this wasn’t a very sophisticated machine.”

Heavy Machines and Robots Present Risk of Fatalities to Workers

The recent crushing incident at the vegetable packing plant is not an isolated one in South Korea. In South Korea, in March, a robot used in manufacturing seriously injured another worker who was examining it in a crushing accident. In addition, in 2022, a robot crushed a worker in a milk factory in the city of Pyeongtaek. In the United States, workers who work in packing, manufacturing, and in other jobs that involve robotics and heavy machines face the same risk of serious injury or fatality if a machine is defective or an accident otherwise occurs. The recent workplace fatalities in South Korea underscore just how dangerous production and manufacturing jobs can be when working with this type of equipment.

Help for Mississippi Workers Seriously Injured in Workplace Accidents

In Mississippi, most workers who are seriously injured on the job are entitled to important workers’ compensation benefits to help them recover from their workplace injuries and to get them back on their feet. Mississippi workers’ compensation benefits include important financial benefits such as wage replacement compensation, medical expense reimbursement, vocational training, and more. In order to determine whether you may qualify for Mississippi workers’ compensation benefits as a result of your workplace injury, it is best to speak with an experienced Mississippi workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as possible about your rights and options under Mississippi laws.

The experienced Mississippi workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe offer a free and confidential consultation to learn about your workplace injury and to see if they can help fight to get you Mississippi workers’ compensation benefits due. Contact Lunsford Baskin & Priebe today and speak to a lawyer about your case for free.

Source:

nbcnews.com/news/world/robot-crushes-worker-death-south-korea-vegetable-packing-plant-rcna124356