A mart worker urging to install a handle on the box.ⒸDemocratic Trade Union Service Federation, Mart Industry Labor Union
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 27th that it has decided to significantly expand the’box handle installation’ from next year through consultations with the domestic distribution, manufacturing, and courier industries.
In particular, on that day, Minister of Labor Lee Jae-gap said, “I hope that consumers now also choose companies and products that consider workers.” The Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to mark boxes with handles as’good handles’ according to the’box handle guide’ prepared with the Occupational Safety and Health Agency, and induce active participation of box handling companies.
“Large mart, 83% of handle installation rate next year”
“Major manufacturers will also participate”
The Ministry of Labor plans to prepare and distribute a’box handle guide’ together with the Occupational Safety and Health Agency so that the handles of packing boxes can be installed appropriately to improve the working environment of workers. Looking at the main contents of the’Box Handle Guide’ released by the Ministry of Labor, it was designed in a structure that can be wrapped and held by reviewing the installation of handles from the product design stage for’items over 5kg handled by human resources.
The reason the Ministry of Labor creates and distributes such guidelines is because it believes that workers can reduce musculoskeletal diseases by simply installing a handle on the box.
Earlier, labor circles such as the mart industrial labor union have requested the installation of a box handle, saying that the introduction of a box with a handle can greatly improve the musculoskeletal disorders that mart workers suffer. According to the results of a survey published by the director of the Labor Environment and Health Research Institute in June last year at the’Debate on the improvement of musculoskeletal disorders for mart workers’, it is possible to reduce the load by about 10% if there is only a handle hole of 3.8cm or more At the same time, the working posture can be improved, so an improvement effect of up to 40% can be expected. (Related article: 85% of mart workers with musculoskeletal diseases, 78% varicose veins.. “Sit right should be guaranteed”)
Accordingly, the Ministry of Labor has also discussed improvement plans related to the installation of box handles with major hypermarkets and manufacturers since the beginning of this year. As a result, large retailers such as E-Mart, Homeplus, and Lotte Mart increased the installation rate of handles for their own products (PB products) by 2.3 times from the previous average of 9.0% to 20.6% at the end of this year. It is said that it plans to increase significantly to 82.9%.
Box handle installation status and plan by companyⒸ Provided by the Ministry of Employment and Labor
Looking at the installation status and plans for each company identified by the Ministry of Labor, Company A, which was only 12.1% as of October this year, raised its installation rate to 23.8% at the end of this year, and plans to increase it to 81.2% next year. Company B, which is 24.9% as of the end of this year, also plans to increase the installation rate to 60.8% by next year. Company C, which was only 15.0% at the end of October, plans to replace all 92.6% of the boxes with boxes with handles by next year.
The Ministry of Labor said that the participation of major manufacturers such as daily necessities and food was also important, and that it had been discussing ways to participate in major manufacturers.
Major manufacturers such as LG H&H, CJ CheilJedang, and Dongwon F&B installed handles for 127 types of gift sets for this New Year’s Day in consultation with the Ministry of Labor, and next year, the rate of installation of handles for general products increased by 4.9 times from 1.6% to 7.8%. It was said that it was decided to do. It is reported that some manufacturers have decided to prioritize the convenience of workers when designing product packaging in the future.
In addition, the Ministry of Employment and Labor said that the handle of the box could contribute to the improvement of the working environment for courier workers, and that it had discussed improvement plans with major courier companies and distributors.
As a result, major courier companies have decided to install handles on 670,000 boxes, and online retailers also decided to install handles on 470,000 boxes.
Minister of Labor Lee Jae-gap said, “I hope that it will be an opportunity to see production and management through the eyes of labor.” “The Ministry of Labor also uses the’box handle guide’ to improve the working environment of workers, as well as large retailers, manufacturers, courier and online distribution. We will continue to come up with a variety of alternatives so that’good handles’ can be established in companies.”
Reporter Seung-Hoon Lee
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