SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Philippines -- A worker died at the construction site of the shipyard of Korean-owned Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines Inc. on Redondo Peninsula at the Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales on Wednesday.

The death of Jose Vener Gil brought to 15 the total fatalities from work-related accidents since late 2006, Pyeong Jong Yu, Hanjin general manager, said in a telephone interview on Thursday.

For the same period, two other workers died in traffic-related incidents, he said.

In Wednesday’s incident, Gil, 42, was unhooking the shackle of a duct when it fell on him at about 9:30 a.m., Yu said.

He said Gil, a native of Subic, Zambales, and was employed by subcontractor PhilNokor, died while being taken to a hospital.

Yu said Hanjin has started an investigation to know if the death was due to “an industrial mishap, unavoidable human error or simply the negligence of PhilNokor during the construction works.”

“If the investigation reveals that the incident was caused by laxity in the observance of the rules and regulations on occupational safety in the construction operations, [Hanjin] assures that those immediate superiors and authorities concerned with the implementation of the safety policies shall be made answerable, regardless of their rank and position,” he said.

“If negligence on the part of PhilNokor is the proximate cause, [Hanjin] shall take all necessary steps to hold the subcontractor liable in every aspect and will make full investigation to ascertain whether proper and enough measures are taken to ensure prevention of any further accident,” he added.

Hanjin has assured Gil’s family of financial support for his burial.

Yu said the death of Hanjin worker Philip Mendoza and the injuries suffered by two Filipinos and a Korean last week did not happen in the course of shipbuilding operations.

“[It was] caused by a vehicular accident as a result of human frailty and not because of any disregard for the basic and mandatory occupational safety policies at the shipyard,” he said in the same statement.

Mendoza, 40, from Castillejos town, died on November 20 after a metal structure fell on him when the truck he was riding in crashed into an area of the shipyard where he was working.

He died while being taken to the Saint Jude Hospital in Olongapo City.

Mendoza’s three other companions—William Liberato, 25; Rolex Alog, 23; and Korean Kong Jong Sik, who was driving the truck—were hurt.

Armand Arreza, administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, said the agency was looking at any lapses on the part of Hanjin and the contractor.

Arreza said a six-man SBMA team has been assigned at the shipyard since June to monitor safety and labor issues.

Hanjin employs some 8,000 Filipino workers for shipbuilding works while about 5,000 are hired for the construction of a second shipyard.

Chester Amparo, secretary-general of the Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya Olongapo-Subic chapter, and Noel de Mesa, president of the Shipbuilders and Construction Workers Association, condemned Hanjin for the deaths of the workers.

They said the company has failed to install and institute occupational and health safety standards.

Citing reports by workers, De Mesa said Hanjin has violated a labor law requiring companies to hire one doctor for every 300 workers. What Hanjin has is only a clinic staffed with three nurses. “There is no adequate medical facility on site,” De Mesa said.