Health

    We provide support to create comfortable environments at all business sites for the safety of our employees against occupational diseases by diagnosing health issues early and thus enabling them to lead a healthy and happy life. Furthermore, we strive to improve employees’ lifestyle habits to enhance the quality of their personal life.

    Health Management Organization

    The Health Planning Office under the Head of the HSE Division functions as the overall health control tower. At the Pohang Steelworks and Gwangyang Steelworks, occupational health centers are operated to professionally manage the health of employees at business sites. Health activity plans, performance, and issues are reported to the Board of Directors and the ESG Committee.

    The Health Advisory Committee, consisting of a total of 8 members, includes 2 employee representatives (the employee representative from the Labor-Management Council and the Senior Vice-Chairperson of the Labor Union), 3 executives (the Head of the HSE Division, the Head of the Labor Relations Office, and the Head of the Health Planning Office), and 3 external health experts.

    • Role: Diagnosing the health management system by external experts and strengthening the external network
    • Implementation of Advisory Tasks (2021-2022) and Improvements (2023-2024)
      [Work Environment Sector] 3 items including the work environment measurement system
      [Risk Management Sector] 4 items including the job exposure matrix
      [Occupational Health Sector] 3 items including lifecycle health management

    We are implementing three major policies to prevent diseases and enhance the quality of life for our employees.

    Early Disease Detection System

    We fully cover health checkup costs for all employees (including contract employees with contracts over one year). We have partnered with top-tier general hospitals to provide premium health checkups every five years, ensuring the highest standards of care. Additionally, we fully support basic comprehensive health checkups for spouses every other year and partially subsidize health checkup costs for parents and children, allowing them to receive checkups at a discounted rate. Furthermore, we operate in-house clinics and physical therapy rooms, accessible to contractor employees as well, providing appropriate treatment and medicines to visiting employees and help prevent musculoskeletal disorders.

    Health Improvement Activities

    In 2023, we introduced the ‘Iron Health’ self-directed health improvement brand to our internal employees. This initiative focuses on three main areas: healthy lifestyle practices, smoking cessation, and chronic disease improvement. Participants in the healthy lifestyle practices program achieved an average reduction of 3.5kg in body fat. Furthermore, all participants in the smoking cessation program successfully quit smoking. Participants in the chronic disease improvement program demonstrated improvements in individual health metrics, including blood pressure and fasting blood sugar levels, compared to their levels before participation.
    (Blood pressure 172/98 → 132/85mmHg, fasting blood sugar levels 164 → 92mg/dL)

    To support the mental well-being of our employees, their families, and partner company employees, we operate the ‘Mindfulness Center,’ staffed by eight psychotherapists. This center provides personalized counseling services, including EEG-based assessments. In 2023, the center conducted 4,297 counseling sessions (4,075 for employees and 222 for partner company employees).

    Lastly, we offer group indemnity insurance and support for personal medical indemnity insurance.

    Category Description
    Iron Health
    • In the three areas of healthy lifestyle practice, smoking cessation, and chronic disease improvement, participants were invited to set personal health goals and engage in self-directed health improvement activities for a four-month period
    Mindfulness Center
    • The Mindfulness Center offers counseling services aimed at helping employees resolve psychological issues and enhance their sense of mental and emotional stability. The center addresses a range of topics including job stress, interpersonal relationships, communication, marital and romantic relationships, and child rearing, thereby providing comprehensive support for both personal and family-related concerns
    Visiting Health Plus
    • To empower employees to manage chronic diseases on their own, dedicated nurses visit the plant/section to deliver education on managing hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. They also provide guidance on health management for shift workers and strategies for managing musculoskeletal disorders
    Post-Management Support for People with Health Issues
    • In-house nurses provide regular one-on-one post-management for employees identified as high-risk based on health checkup results to ensure they receive proper treatment and management
    • Health Up Program to improve eating habits and exercise-related lifestyle habits for both people with health issues and general employees
    • Health programs led by exercise therapists within the Group Exercise (GX) program at the in-house fitness center
    • 12-week blood sugar improvement program at the Pohang Steelworks to aid in diabetes management
    Eating Habit Improvement Activities
    • Education on the importance of balanced and low-sodium diets, with nutritionists curating meals for the in-house cafeteria
    • In-house education on healthy eating habits, focusing on adequate water intake, hygiene management, weight management, and alcohol abstinence
    Iron Health Reviews (June - September 2023)
    • Smoking Cessation
      With the company declaring a non-smoking steelworks and actively encouraging employees to quit smoking, I wanted to set a good example for my junior colleagues. I participated in a state-led smoking cessation camp and successfully quit smoking. I view smoking as a disease that needs to be cured. (Sim ○○)
    • Chronic Disease Improvement
      I neglected my health, assuming that being young meant I didn’t need to pay attention to it, which led to significant deterioration. Through Iron Health, I adopted a healthy diet for the first time in my life and maintained a consistent exercise routine. Consequently, my health indicators, including blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight, improved noticeably. (Jung ○○)

    • Mindfulness Center

    • Visiting Health Plus

    • Post-Management Support for People
      with Health Issues (Health Up)

    Creating a Pleasant Work Environment

    The Pohang Steelworks and Gwangyang Steelworks are committed to fostering a pleasant work environment. We periodically measure the exposure levels of hazardous agents in the workplace through institutions designated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Additionally, we establish mitigation measures and improve facilities to reduce hazardous agents.

    We have conducted thorough risk assessments of chemical substances, leading to necessary facility improvements. Furthermore, we have implemented a robust management system for prohibited chemical substances, effectively blocking materials that could pose health hazards from being introduced.

    In periods of extreme heat, we enforce comprehensive management rules for heatwaves and high-temperature work, which include adjusting work and break schedules based on temperature. We proactively provide shade canopies, bottled water, and other essential items to support our employees. Special alerts are operational during these periods to ensure safety. Furthermore, we carry out campaigns to raise awareness about heat-related illness prevention through the use of notices, banners, and posters.

    At Last, by managing the Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR), which serves as a key safety metric, we aim to transparently disclose minor occupational illnesses and work towards minimizing health incidents at our business sites.

    Current Status of TRIFR Management