Meet Iker and Selene, Safety and Health Managers at CLS

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 minute read

Hi, Iker and Selene. Please briefly introduce yourselves and your teams.

Iker: Hi, my name is Iker. I am a Safety Manager at Sub-hub/Sub-FC, Coupang Logistics Service (CLS). I was a Safety Manager at a delivery camp for three and a half years and joined Ilsan 5 Sub-hub/Sub-FC last February when it opened.

Selene: Hi, my name is Selene. I joined CLS last March and am currently working as a Health Manager at Sub-hub/Sub-FC.

What are the responsibilities of Safety Managers/Health Managers at CLS EHS?

Iker: CLS Safety Manager’s duties are similar to those of safety managers at other logistics centers. As for regular trainings, we provide safety management training to prepare workers for safety hazards, like conveyors and forklifts, and on-site training for new employees.

In addition to regular training sessions, we conduct Tool Box Meetings (TBM) for daily workers to ensure they complete safety training related to internal facilities such as totes and rolltainers before deployment. We are committed to ensuring full OSHA compliance with safety management and training.

Selene: Our main responsibilities include managing work environments and ways of working as well as conducting health management and promotion activities for our employees. Moreover, as the only on-site medical professionals, we serve as industrial nurses providing medical care in case of an emergency and operating Employee Health Counseling Office. We also play an active role in preventing incidents on-site by checking blood pressure before work and overseeing personnel who need to be sent home.

Furthermore, we strive to create a pleasant work environment to reduce employees’ physical fatigue and mental stress and collaborate with other teams to enhance work conditions, ensuring a healthier workplace for everyone.

What made you apply for safety/health management roles at CLS?

Iker: I remember being shocked at how convenient Coupang Rocket delivery was, which sparked my interest in Coupang. While doing some research, I found that Coupang had many workers in its logistics centers and thought to myself “They need a manager that can keep them safe.” Then I saw the job posting, applied for the position, and here I am.

Before Coupang, I was at a manufacturing company, and many told me that it was a stable job. However, I saw a career opportunity in transitioning to the logistics industry and Coupang’s growth potential and made the bold move to apply for this role.

Selene: I started my career as a nurse. After two years, I changed my career path and became a health manager at a construction company where I stayed for one year. Based on this experience, I joined CLS as a health manager. At the time, Coupang was already a leading player in the logistics industry, known for prioritizing employee health and safety and thus its dedication to ensuring occupational health. Therefore, I decided to join, seeing it as a great opportunity to build my expertise.

Indeed, upon joining, I was immediately impressed by how well-structured CLS’ health management system was. What stood out even more was its proactive efforts to continuously incorporate employee feedback for improvement, such as updating manuals, rather than just settling for legal compliance.

Iker, you have been with us as a safety manager since April 2020. What’s making you stay?

Iker: First and foremost, it’s my colleagues. They are the best to work with. I believe the reason behind that is CLS’ horizontal work culture. We address each other by nicknames and use “nim” and honorifics regardless of job titles. I believe this cultivated an atmosphere of mutual respect and consideration.

And the second reason is that the company continues to grow, which motivates me to grow with it. In fact, I have earned an additional certification this year, and I would like to continue honing my expertise and grow together with the company.

Are there any differences between CLS and the company you used to work for in terms of work environment?

Selene: Back at the construction company, it was difficult to meet with workers because the site was large. At CLS, with the rest area and cafeteria so close to the Health Office, it is much easier for the health manager and workers to meet and chat about health. This frequent interaction in turn helps workers feel comfortable sharing even minor concerns, allowing me to provide immediate feedback. As a result, at CLS, workers are very familiar with the Health Office and it is used quite frequently.

In my previous job, I mostly worked alone, but at CLS, I have many chances to engage with regional managers, share best practices, and support each other in times of need. This collaborative environment makes me feel more connected, which is another major advantage.

Many candidates are curious about CLS sites, like Camps, Sub-hubs and Sub-FCs. What specific aspects of safety/health do you prioritize?

Iker: Sub-hubs are intermediary sites between logistics centers and camps. Products are sorted here before being distributed to different regions and are loaded and unloaded onto linehaul trucks. While not as dangerous as manufacturing or construction sites, they still use equipment like EPJs, rolltainers and conveyors, so we pay close attention to equipment safety.

Since the majority are daily workers, we are always considering how to effectively communicate daily hazards and ensure they follow the necessary processes. Most incidents stem from individual negligence. When such incidents occur, we implement recurrence prevention measures, conduct training, and carry out walk-around inspections to offer direct safety coaching to address unsafe behaviors.

Selene: Although there are similarities to construction sites, a key difference is that there are many more women workers here. Since women generally have weaker bones and muscles compared to men, we are focusing on managing their musculoskeletal health. Recently, we opened a stretching zone next to the workers’ break area. Here, they can watch stretching videos and use various gear to warm up before and after work. We’ve also provided a self taping guidebook, so that workers themselves can put tape on weaker spots. The feedback from the workers has been very positive.

What skills and experiences are necessary to work as a Safety/Health Manager at CLS?

Selene: Interest and passion are important for a health manager. You need to perform the basic duties of a Health Manager ensuring adherence to relevant laws and regulations, and while at it, you also need to observe what’s needed on-site and take the right actions, which requires interest and passion.

In addition, your work is directly tied to people’s lives, so it is important to have the skills needed to assess a patient’s condition and provide necessary treatment during emergencies.

Iker: Sincerity. Previously, industrial safety was about enforcing rules on the workers, but now it’s about convincing workers that safety matters and really moving them to embrace safety. To do so, the safety manager needs to be sincere, because I believe nothing resonates more than genuine sincerity.

As long as you meet the basic requirements and bring sincerity, the rest can be built through experience after you join.

What aspect of working as a safety/health manager at CLS satisfies you the most?

Iker: CLS offers an environment where you can learn and share advice with each other when you encounter challenges or need help. Across the country, there is a vast network of safety managers who closely communicate with each other, working together to resolve issues and drive improvements. This is an advantage that’s hard to find in other companies.

Also, these efforts and achievements are well rewarded, which is another satisfying aspect.

Selene: When we talk about workplace “health management,” people often think first of the Health Manager under the Occupational Safety and Health Act and assume that Health Managers alone should handle all workplace health-related tasks. However, a healthy and safe work environment cannot be created by the Health Manager alone. It requires everyone – business owners, Safety and Health Managers, and supervisors – to do their part and work together. This is what sets CLS apart. It has a robust occupational health culture and high employee awareness. As a Health Manager, it is truly satisfying to see everyone working together to create a healthy and safe work environment.

Do you have any goals you wish to achieve in three years at CLS?

Iker: I would say my biggest goal as a Safety Manager is to create a safer work environment. I am doing my best every day to achieve this goal. On a personal level, I would like to learn as much as I can from my seniors and grow. This year, I earned the Construction Safety Engineer certification and would like to take a shot at the Industrial Safety Engineer certification next year. I hope to grow alongside Coupang.

Selene: I also plan to work towards making our workplace safer. To do so, I plan to earn Industrial Hygiene Management Engineer and Occupation Health Nurse certifications and continue to challenge myself to grow as an industrial nurse.

Lastly, do you have any final words you would like to share with the candidates applying for Safety/Health Manager roles at CLS?

Iker: There’s a saying that Safety Managers are “people responsible for the workers’ future.” At CLS, we have many Safety Managers dedicated to ensuring a brighter future for our employees. Our EHS team offers a supportive environment where you can fully realize your potential. So, if you are looking for a place where you can grow and enjoy your work together with your team members, we encourage you to apply.

Selene: When choosing a company, I think it is important to understand its stance on safety and health. CLS has a lot of interest in them, and even in my short ten months here, I have seen the company’s dedication to managing occupational health effectively in this complex and rapidly evolving environment. If you are passionate about this, we would love to have you on board.