KB Financial Group will work with the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency to support about 950 small and medium-sized firms with on-site improvements, the supply of safety items and safety training.

KB Financial said on July 13 it is supporting improvements in working environments and the building of safety management systems through the Industrial Safety Infrastructure Support Programme for SMEs being carried out with the agency.

KB Financial and the agency this year selected 50 suppliers with industrial safety technology and products and linked them with about 950 beneficiary firms. The support covers 3 areas: on-site improvements, the supply of safety items, and safety training and consulting. They are providing tailored solutions depending on the industry and working environment.

In the on-site improvement area, they built a smart sensor-based Smart Integrated Safety Platform at manufacturing sites. The platform collects on-site data such as workers' locations, whether safety gear is being worn and emergency situations. Based on that, it is a system that identifies risk factors and the likelihood of near-miss accidents in advance.

In the safety items area, they supplied an Industrial Smart Fall-Protection Airbag to 5 construction sites. The airbag automatically inflates to reduce impact if a worker falls at construction and industrial sites. They plan to deliver the product in the second half of the year to a semiconductor plant construction site as well. They also conducted safety training for foreign workers.

A KB Financial official said, "A safe workplace is the basic infrastructure that protects workers' lives and a company's sustainable growth." The official added, "We will continue to work with the agency to reduce blind spots in safety at SME worksites and expand support centred on accident prevention."