[Background]

According to [Annex 5] of the Enforcement Rule of the Chemical Control Act, hazardous chemical handling facilities must comply with installation standards, management standards, and other criteria, with specific details to be determined by the Public Notice of the National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS)*.

Furthermore, according to Note 3 of [Annex 5] of the same Rule, the Director of NICS may separately determine and notify standards for hazardous chemical handling facilities where current standards cannot be applied due to the nature of handling or where additional standards are deemed necessary.

As ingredients in anti-fouling paints used in the shipbuilding industry have been designated as hazardous chemicals (October and December 2022), the shipbuilding industry also needs to comply with facility standards under the Chemical Control Act.

Current NICS Public Notices regarding installation and management standards for handling facilities regulate standard chemical manufacturing and usage equipment. However, there are items that cannot be applied to the shipbuilding industry due to on-site working conditions. Therefore, government intervention is necessary for the public interest of protecting public health from chemical accidents and preventing environmental pollution, while enabling the industry to implement standards without confusion.

[Main Points]

Establishment of installation standards for hose materials, safety guards, and spray guns for spray painting equipment among manufacturing and usage facilities.

(Hose Material) Regulations requiring the use of conductive hoses when there is a risk of static electricity generation in spray painting equipment.

(Safety Guard) Regulations requiring the installation of guards at the nozzle tip of spray painting equipment to prevent hands from coming into direct contact with the nozzle.

(Closed State) Regulations requiring the spray gun of spray painting equipment to be in a closed state when not in use.