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The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Workplace Accidents in Korea

Author

Listed:
  • Eun-Mi Baek

    (Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea)

  • Woo-Yung Kim

    (Department of Economics, Kongju National University Korea, Gongju 32588, Korea)

  • Yoon-Jeong Kwon

    (Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea)

Abstract

(1) Background: Although the number of people infected with COVID-19 has increased over time, its effects on workplace accidents are still poorly understood. On the one hand, COVID-19 can reduce workplace accidents through contracted economic activities or changes in work methods. On the other hand, it can increase workplace accidents by spreading in the workplace. The main purpose of this paper is to examine how COVID-19 affected workplace accidents in Korea during the early part of the pandemic. (2) Methods: This paper utilizes the administrative data on workplace accidents in Korea collected by Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency. In particular, we use monthly data from February 2016 to August 2020. This period was chosen to rule out the effect from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak in 2015 and to include COVID-19 effects in 2020, given the available data. To examine the impact of COVID-19 on workplace injury and illness, we estimate fixed effects regression models, allowing us to control for group and time effects. (3) Results: COVID-19 was generally found to reduce workplace accidents in Korea, particularly through a reduction in occupational diseases. However, we also found that COVID-19 increased occupational injuries for males and workers in the transportation industry. We provide some evidence that these workers experienced an increase in workload and were unable to change work methods including working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. (4) Conclusions: Our results indicate that to reduce workplace accidents, government interventions should be directed at workers who are unable to change work methods and who are likely to suffer an increase in work burden due to COVID-19.

Suggested Citation

  • Eun-Mi Baek & Woo-Yung Kim & Yoon-Jeong Kwon, 2021. "The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Workplace Accidents in Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-14, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:16:p:8407-:d:611005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Titan Alon & Matthias Doepke & Jane Olmstead-Rumsey & Michèle Tertilt, 2020. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Gender Equality," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2020_163, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    6. Yue Qian & Sylvia Fuller, 2020. "COVID-19 and the Gender Employment Gap among Parents of Young Children," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 46(S2), pages 89-101, August.
    7. Adams-Prassl, Abigail & Boneva, Teodora & Rauh, Christopher & Golin, Marta, 2020. "Work Tasks That Can Be Done From Home: Evidence on Variation Within & Across Occupations and Industries," CEPR Discussion Papers 14901, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
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    Cited by:

    1. Linda Matisāne & Lāsma Akūlova & Linda Paegle & Monta Matisāne & Ivars Vanadziņš, 2024. "The Experience and Perception of Occupational Health and Safety Expert Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Qualitative Study Among Latvian Occupational Health and Safety Experts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-13, November.
    2. Saud Almutairi & Mudthir Bakri & Abdullatif A. AlMunifi & Mohammed Algahtany & Saud Aldalbahy, 2023. "The Status of the Saudi Construction Industry during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-21, October.
    3. repec:ehu:cuader:69655 is not listed on IDEAS

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