[Background]
(Background) According to Annex 5 of the Enforcement Rules of the Chemicals Control Act, facilities must be equipped with safety equipment to prevent accidents caused by the leakage or release of hazardous chemicals, to prevent harm to the environment or people.
Personal protective equipment must be provided to prevent exposure or inhalation of hazardous chemicals, and detailed provisions are set by the Chemical Safety Agency.
- However, in the event of a chemical accident, personal protective equipment is essential to reduce human damage, but situations have occurred where the protective equipment storage in the facility becomes unusable (due to contamination, etc.) due to gas leakage.
Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that personal protective equipment is stored in a way that allows it to be used at all times in a usable condition.
- Current regulations only stipulate the provision and placement of personal protective equipment but lack specific standards regarding the safety, maintenance, and management of the storage locations.
As a result, practical limitations in response to accidents occur, and it is essential to store the equipment in a safe place and maintain it in a usable condition.
(Need for Government Intervention) Since detailed provisions are to be defined in the Chemical Safety Agency’s notification, it is necessary to clearly establish specific standards for the maintenance and management of personal protective equipment to ensure the industry can implement them without confusion.
Furthermore, the government’s involvement is needed to present core and universal standards to prevent excessive costs while protecting public health and preventing environmental pollution from chemical accidents, for the public good.
[Regulatory Details]
- Personal protective equipment must be stored in a safe location and maintained in a condition that allows for immediate use in the event of hazardous chemical leakage or release.
