What changes when the formwork is removed? The Shaheen burial incident
A worker died after soil and concrete collapsed at the Shaheen project in Ulsan on 26 June 2026. Excavation and removal tasks need to consider support beyond the immediate work point.
The reported task
Reporting associated the incident with excavation for formwork removal. The worker was recovered and taken to hospital but died.
The initial failure sequence and engineering cause were not established in this report.
Identify what supports the surroundings
Removing material can alter support for adjacent ground or structures. KOSHA’s excavation guidance discusses advance assessment, timely support installation and monitoring.
The required arrangement must fit the actual ground and structures.
안전보건공단 · 굴착공사 안전보건실무정보 / KOSHA excavation guide
Check your workplace
- Does removal change nearby support?
- Are protective supports and access ready?
- Are people separated from excavation plant?
Prepare conditions before entry
Provide assessed access and protection, and keep people out of operating plant zones. Review nearby loading and changes such as water or cracking rather than relying on the operator’s awareness alone.
Withdraw on movement
Soil movement or distorted support warrants withdrawal and reporting. A worker should not enter an unstable excavation to improvise reinforcement or rescue.
Give specialist responders the location and known conditions.
Putting it into practice
Before removing formwork, ask what the removal could release or destabilise. Do not begin when the support condition is unclear.
KOSHA is a South Korean source; local engineering and legal requirements remain necessary elsewhere.
Technical insight
Review what changes when a member is removed
Removal work needs assessment of the surrounding support conditions, not just the item being taken away.
Compare support and worker positions before and after removal. Consider surcharge, water and nearby activities as local assessment questions, without presenting them as established causes of this incident.
Korean safety resources
- KOSHA · Excavation safety resource
Korean KOSHA e-book covering excavation hazards and safe working methods.
Sources
- 한국경제 · 샤힌 현장 토사·콘크리트 매몰사고대한민국 / South Korea