A subcontractor at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has died after an industrial accident at the company’s Gunsan Shipyard in South Korea. The incident was the third fatal accident reported at the company’s domestic yards in July.

The worker, a man in his 30s, was involved in an accident at about 16:44 local time on Friday inside the yard’s panel factory. His head became trapped in equipment, causing severe injuries and cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead at around 19:00 after being taken to hospital.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries confirmed on Monday that the worker had been caught between a lug and a lug attachment machine during operations at the panel factory.

Police and the Ministry of Employment and Labor have started an on-site investigation and are reviewing records related to the accident.

The company said special safety training would be provided to employees and that measures would be introduced to prevent a recurrence.

On Saturday, the Gunsan Branch of the Gwangju Regional Office of Employment and Labor issued a partial work suspension order covering all assembly lines at the panel factory.

According to the police investigation cited by South Korean media, the accident occurred while lugs were being installed on hull plating. The worker was operating a lug attachment machine in reverse and is understood to have become trapped between the machine and a lug that had already been installed.

A lug attachment machine secures steel lifting rings for ship blocks to the hull.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor said its Serious Accident Investigation Division at the Jeonju branch office and the Industrial Accident Prevention and Supervision Division at the Gunsan branch office began investigating the incident and imposed work suspension measures.

The ministry is also examining whether the workplace breached the Occupational Safety and Health Act or the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.