[사설] 종로 환경미화원 사망, ‘사람 죽이는’ 예외조항 없애야

In the early hours of the morning, an environmental waste manager working alone in Seoul's Jongno-gu district met a tragic end. The 3-in-1 rule, which mandated that three people work together during daytime waste collection, proved insufficient when a lone operator faced a fatal accident. The lone worker, identified as Kim G, succumbed to a collision with a building wall while driving a 1.5-ton waste collection vehicle.

The incident occurred at around 2:36 AM on a recent Friday, leaving his colleagues bewildered by the tragedy.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act, revised in 2019, established the 3-in-1 rule for daytime waste collection work. However, exceptions were permitted for "reasons specified by local governments." This loophole left the Seoul City Government and the external waste collection company in a legal gray area, unable to provide a clear explanation for the tragic mishap.

For three consecutive years (2016-2018), an estimated 13 waste management workers tragically lost their lives in industrial accidents. Despite the growing awareness of hazardous working conditions, exceptions to the 3-in-1 rule persisted. The government and local authorities argued that implementing the stricter rule would significantly increase operational costs by 2-3 times.

This insensitivity to the safety concerns of waste collectors highlights the need for immediate action to eliminate the exception clause and prioritize worker safety over budget constraints.