The government has launched an industrial safety assessment of 837-thousand small businesses nationwide with the expansion of a workplace safety law to businesses with 50 employees or less Saturday.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor held a meeting with other related ministries on Monday and decided on a set of measures to support businesses vulnerable to serious industrial accidents.

The government will first carry out an industrial safety assessment for three months until the end of April so small businesses can swiftly establish a safety and health management system.

Companies can participate in the assessment by accessing a related pop-up on the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency website, while an offline assessment through the mail or an on-site visit is also available.

The safety review comprises ten major points, including safety and health management policy, manpower and budget, risk assessment, and an inspection and evaluation of safety and health management systems, with the assessment results depicted visually with red, yellow and green.

Based on the results, the government plans to provide customized financial support, including consultations, education, technical guidance, and facility improvement, through counseling and support centers installed in 30 regions across the country.