Reference table
These are basic criteria. Check scope, exceptions, qualifications and the original wording. Korean text in parentheses is authoritative.
Expand / collapse reference table
| Course | Workers / role | Minimum hours | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Periodic | Office workers (1) 사무직 종사 근로자) | 6 | Each half-year |
| Periodic | Direct sales workers (가) 판매업무에 직접 종사하는 근로자) | 6 | Each half-year |
| Periodic | Workers other than direct sales (나) 판매업무에 직접 종사하는 근로자 외의 근로자) | 12 | Each half-year |
| Recruitment | Daily / fixed-term workers contracted for at most one week (1) 일용근로자 및 근로계약기간이 1주일 이하인 기간제근로자) | 1 | At recruitment |
| Recruitment | Fixed-term workers contracted for over one week up to one month (2) 근로계약기간이 1주일 초과 1개월 이하인 기간제근로자) | 4 | At recruitment |
| Recruitment | Other workers (3) 그 밖의 근로자) | 8 | At recruitment |
| Task change | Daily / fixed-term workers contracted for at most one week (1) 일용근로자 및 근로계약기간이 1주일 이하인 기간제근로자) | 1 | On task change |
| Task change | Other workers (2) 그 밖의 근로자) | 2 | On task change |
| Special | Daily / up-to-one-week workers: special tasks except No.39 (1) 일용근로자 및 근로계약기간이 1주일 이하인 기간제근로자: 별표 5 제1호라목(제39호는 제외한다)에 해당하는 작업에 종사하는 근로자에 한정한다.) | 2 | For the relevant work |
| Special | Daily / up-to-one-week workers: special task No.39 (2) 일용근로자 및 근로계약기간이 1주일 이하인 기간제근로자: 별표 5 제1호라목제39호에 해당하는 작업에 종사하는 근로자에 한정한다.) | 8 | For the relevant work |
| Special | Other workers performing special tasks (3) 일용근로자 및 근로계약기간이 1주일 이하인 기간제근로자를 제외한 근로자: 별표 5 제1호라목에 해당하는 작업에 종사하는 근로자에 한정한다.) | 16 | For the relevant work |
| Basic construction | Daily construction workers (건설 일용근로자) | 4 | At recruitment (Rule Article 28(1)) |
| Special | Other special-task workers: short or intermittent work (3) 일용근로자 및 근로계약기간이 1주일 이하인 기간제근로자를 제외한 근로자: 별표 5 제1호라목에 해당하는 작업에 종사하는 근로자에 한정한다. / 단기간 또는 간헐적 작업) | 2 | For the relevant work |
| Periodic | Supervisors (관리감독자) | 16 | Each year |
| Recruitment | Supervisors (관리감독자) | 8 | At recruitment |
| Task change | Supervisors (관리감독자) | 2 | On task change |
| Special | Supervisors (관리감독자) | 16 | For the relevant work |
| Special | Supervisors: short or intermittent work (관리감독자 / 단기간 또는 간헐적 작업) | 2 | For the relevant work |
| Initial role | Safety and health general manager (가. 안전보건관리책임자) | 6 | Within 3 months of appointment/recruitment (1 year for a physician health manager) |
| Role refresher | Safety and health general manager (가. 안전보건관리책임자) | 6 | Within 6 months before/after each two-year anniversary of initial training |
| Initial role | Safety managers / specialist safety agencies (나. 안전관리자, 안전관리전문기관의 종사자) | 34 | Within 3 months of appointment/recruitment (1 year for a physician health manager) |
| Role refresher | Safety managers / specialist safety agencies (나. 안전관리자, 안전관리전문기관의 종사자) | 24 | Within 6 months before/after each two-year anniversary of initial training |
| Initial role | Health managers / specialist health agencies (다. 보건관리자, 보건관리전문기관의 종사자) | 34 | Within 3 months of appointment/recruitment (1 year for a physician health manager) |
| Role refresher | Health managers / specialist health agencies (다. 보건관리자, 보건관리전문기관의 종사자) | 24 | Within 6 months before/after each two-year anniversary of initial training |
| Initial role | Construction accident-prevention advisory agencies (라. 건설재해예방전문지도기관의 종사자) | 34 | Within 3 months of appointment/recruitment (1 year for a physician health manager) |
| Role refresher | Construction accident-prevention advisory agencies (라. 건설재해예방전문지도기관의 종사자) | 24 | Within 6 months before/after each two-year anniversary of initial training |
| Initial role | Asbestos survey agencies (마. 석면조사기관의 종사자) | 34 | Within 3 months of appointment/recruitment (1 year for a physician health manager) |
| Role refresher | Asbestos survey agencies (마. 석면조사기관의 종사자) | 24 | Within 6 months before/after each two-year anniversary of initial training |
| Initial role | Safety and health officers (바. 안전보건관리담당자) | Not specified (—) | Within 3 months of appointment/recruitment (1 year for a physician health manager) |
| Role refresher | Safety and health officers (바. 안전보건관리담당자) | 8 | Within 6 months before/after each two-year anniversary of initial training |
| Initial role | Safety inspection / autonomous inspection agencies (사. 안전검사기관, 자율안전검사기관의 종사자) | 34 | Within 3 months of appointment/recruitment (1 year for a physician health manager) |
| Role refresher | Safety inspection / autonomous inspection agencies (사. 안전검사기관, 자율안전검사기관의 종사자) | 24 | Within 6 months before/after each two-year anniversary of initial training |
| Initial service | Workers in special employment arrangements (특수형태근로종사자) | 2 | Consult the relevant provision |
| Initial service | Workers in special employment arrangements — short/intermittent work (특수형태근로종사자 / 단기간 또는 간헐적 작업) | 1 | Consult the relevant provision |
| Special | Workers in special employment arrangements (특수형태근로종사자) | 16 | Consult the relevant provision |
| Special | Workers in special employment arrangements — short/intermittent work (특수형태근로종사자 / 단기간 또는 간헐적 작업) | 2 | Consult the relevant provision |
| Inspector | Inspectors (검사원) | 28 | Consult the relevant provision |
39 categories of work requiring special training
- Compressed-air chamber work: Work in high-pressure chambers (work chambers or shafts above atmospheric pressure using caisson or other compressed-air methods)
- Acetylene or manifold-gas welding, cutting or heating: Welding, cutting or heating metal using acetylene welding equipment or manifold gas welding equipment (equipment consisting of generators, conduits and similar components)
- Welding in enclosed spaces or wet conditions: Welding in confined places (tanks or cramped places with very poor ventilation), or electric welding in damp places
- Manufacture or handling of specified reactive, explosive or flammable substances: Manufacture or handling of explosive, water-reactive, self-reactive or self-heating substances, pyrophoric liquids or solids, or flammable liquids (excluding handling for testing and research)
- Flammable/explosive gas generating equipment: Handling gas generators for flammable gases such as LPG and hydrogen, or gases among explosive substances
- Use and cleaning of chemical reactors, agitators and extractors: Use and cleaning of reactors, agitators and extractors in chemical installations
- Work inside chemical tanks: Work inside tanks in chemical installations
- Work inside hoppers, silos and storage tanks: Work inside storage tanks such as hoppers (storage bins with funnel-shaped bottoms) or warehouses holding powders or raw materials
- Heating and drying with specified equipment: Heating or drying goods using: (a) drying equipment involving hazardous substances with an internal volume of at least one cubic metre; (b) drying equipment for other materials using fuel as its heat source (maximum fuel consumption of at least 10 kilograms per hour), or electricity as its heat source (rated power consumption of at least 10 kilowatts).
- Assembly, repair and use of specified cable logging systems: Assembly, dismantling, alteration or repair of cable logging equipment (powered equipment consisting of a yarder, cables, carriers, supports and accessories for lifting or transporting logs, firewood or charcoal), and yarding or transport using it, where: (a) the prime mover has a rated output exceeding 7.5 kilowatts; (b) the combined inclined span length is at least 350 metres; or (c) the maximum working load is at least 200 kilograms.
- Powered presses at workplaces with five or more presses: Work with powered presses at workplaces with five or more such machines
- Specified woodworking machinery at workplaces with five or more machines: Work with five or more woodworking machines: circular saws, band saws, planers, chamfering machines and routers; excluding portable machines
- Cargo-handling machinery at workplaces with five or more machines: Work with five or more handling machines such as conveying equipment
- Specified crane and hoist work, excluding No.39: Work using cranes of at least one tonne, or using cranes or hoists below one tonne at workplaces with five or more such machines (excluding task 39)
- Construction lifts and gondolas: Work using construction lifts or gondolas
- Casting and forging: Casting and forging (shaping metal by hammering or pressing)
- Electrical work at 75 volts or more: De-energised and live electrical work at 75 volts or more
- Concrete crushing of structures at least two metres high: Demolition using concrete breakers (structures at least two metres high)
- Ground excavation with a face at least two metres high: Excavation with an excavation face at least two metres high (excluding excavation of tunnels and shafts other than vertical shafts)
- Earth-retaining support reinforcement and strut installation/removal: Reinforcing excavation supports, or installing or dismantling shoring
- Specified tunnel excavation, support and concrete work: Excavation inside tunnels (excluding machine excavation without workers approaching beneath the cutting edge), or assembling tunnel formwork supports or concrete work for the same operation
- Rock excavation with a face at least two metres high: Rock excavation with an excavation face at least two metres high
- Stacking or dismantling loads at least two metres high: Stacking or unstacking objects at least two metres high (excluding work using handling machinery only)
- Ship cargo handling: Loading, unloading or moving cargo on ships
- Formwork support assembly/removal: Assembly or dismantling of formwork shoring
- Scaffold assembly, removal or alteration: Assembly, dismantling or alteration of scaffolding
- Specified steel structures at least five metres high: Assembly, dismantling or alteration of metal building frames, bridge superstructures or towers at least five metres high
- Specified timber framing with eaves at least five metres high: Assembly of structural members of wooden buildings with eaves at least five metres high, or installation work beneath roofs or exterior walls
- Concrete structure demolition at least two metres high: Dismantling or demolition of concrete structures at least two metres high
- Tower crane installation, climbing and dismantling: Installation (including climbing) or dismantling of tower cranes
- Boiler installation and operation subject to statutory exclusions: Installation and handling of boilers, excluding small boilers and: steam boilers with a body radius of 750 millimetres or less and a length of 1,300 millimetres or less; steam boilers with heating surface of three square metres or less; hot-water boilers with heating surface of 14 square metres or less; once-through boilers (heating using water tubes) with heating surface of 30 square metres or less.
- Pressure vessels operated at the specified gauge pressure: Installation and handling of pressure vessels using gauge pressure of at least one kilogram per square centimetre
- Radiation-related work, excluding medical and experimental use: Work involving radiation (excluding medical and experimental use)
- Confined-space work: Work in confined spaces
- Manufacture or handling of permitted/controlled hazardous substances: Manufacture or handling of hazardous substances subject to permission or control
- Robot work: Robot work
- Asbestos removal: Asbestos dismantling and removal
- Fire-risk work near combustibles: Hot work where combustible materials are present
- Signalling for tower crane operations: Signalling for work using tower cranes
Worked examples
Office workers → 6 hours or more / Each half-year
Direct sales workers → 6 hours or more / Each half-year
Frequently asked questions
Does special training always take the same time?
No. Annex 4 distinguishes workers and work conditions. Also match the task to Rule Annex 5 item 1(d).
Are the hours alone sufficient?
Hours are only part of the minimum requirements. Check Annex 5 content, delivery conditions and evidence.
Are exemptions automatic?
No deductions are applied automatically. Check Rule Articles 26–27 and Annex 4 notes against the supporting evidence.
Does a dash mean zero initial hours?
It means Annex 4 does not specify initial hours. Safety and health officers must check their separate refresher-training requirement.
Technical principle and management judgement
When planning training, check the curriculum and delivery method as well as the minimum hours. For special training, select the actual task and include the corresponding curriculum from Enforcement Rule Annex 5 in your plan. Before applying an exemption or reduction, compare training records with the applicable conditions.
For special-type workers and inspectors, check the covered persons and training requirements in Enforcement Rule Articles 95 and 131 before scheduling training. Annex 4 shows a dash for initial training of safety and health officers. Do not treat it as an exemption from all training; include the requirement for at least eight hours of refresher training in your plan.
Original source
- Applicable legislation
- Ministry of Employment and Labor Ordinance No. 477 (고용노동부령 제477호) · effective 2026-08-01
- Annex last amended
- 2025-05-30
Reference only. Check the original provisions and responsible authority for final decisions.
Original sources and applicable legislation
Ministry of Employment and Labor Ordinance No. 477 (고용노동부령 제477호)
Related reading
- Korean safety law, notices and KOSHA guidance: duties versus recommendations
- South Korean hot-work rules: Articles 240, 241 and fire-watch provisions
- MOEL Ordinance No. 470: connect risk assessment to participation and action (Partial amendment to the Enforcement Rule of the Occupational Safety and Health Act)
Checks and records before work
Choose the type of training being checked before looking at the worker's job title. Periodic training, training at hiring and training when duties change use different table rows. One person may fall into several categories at the same time, so first record the hiring date, contract term and any change in assigned work. Check which provision and appendix the selected entry uses, then consult the current text separately for any industry or headcount exception. Keep the selected row and its basis alongside the resulting hours.
A training plan may cover periodic training for existing staff while omitting a new hire's applicable course. Having a periodic-training record is different from having checked the training applicable to the new hire. Do not select a contract category by its name alone; check the contract term and actual tasks. When an existing worker moves to another process, continued employment by the same company does not by itself settle whether the work has changed. List the changed environment and hazards between the previous and new duties, and ask the training function to confirm the applicable row and any separate training needed.
Record the effective date shown in the table, the checked provision and selection criteria on the plan. If the current source and the screen show different dates, do not finalize the schedule from the screen value first. Hours, required content and conditions for exemptions or different application are separate checks. Include what will actually be explained before work in the plan. After training, record the audience, course and content delivered. If the assignment has changed, check again whether the existing record satisfies the new conditions. Use the table result as a starting point for checking applicability.