Recently, “a liquefied petroleum gas tank fitted to a motor vehicle” exploded while a filling station attendant filled the tank, which raises concerns about safety.

The current Act requires safety inspection before a liquefied petroleum gas attendant fills “containers.” Such inspection is not required for “liquefied petroleum gas tanks fitted to motor vehicles,” which leads to mounting concerns over safety.

In this regard, this Act aims to add a requirement for prior safety inspection for “tanks fitted to motor vehicles,” require action if there is a concern about potential harm, and allow for delegating inspection for “tanks fitted to motor vehicles” to inspection agencies.

Details

A. Make it mandatory for liquefied petroleum gas filling business entities to inspect the safety of containers or tanks fitted to motor vehicles as prescribed by Ordinance of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and fill only those tanks that meet the criteria. Add a punishment provision for the violation thereof (Article 32 paragraph 2 and Article 71 paragraph 5).

B. Allow for delegating inspection to inspection agencies under Article 35 of the High-pressure Gas Safety Control Act for containers to be filled by liquefied petroleum gas filling business entities and liquefied petroleum gas dealers to efficiently control tanks fitted to motor vehicles (Article 32 paragraph 3).

C. Allow the head of a permitting authority, registration authority, or Si/Gun/Gu to order the disposal of liquefied petroleum gas in facilities for filling, collective supply, sale, the place of business, entrusted transportation, storage, or use of liquefied petroleum gas by persons permitted or registered under this Act and specific liquefied petroleum gas users or liquefied petroleum gas users (“facilities, etc.”) or seal facilities, etc. if deemed urgent or inevitable because harm has occurred or is likely to occur at any time. (Article 48 paragraph 2).

Notes

“Tanks fitted to motor vehicles” refer to tanks fitted to motor vehicles to transport and move liquefied petroleum gas under Article 2 paragraph 6 of the Enforcement Rule of the Safety Control and Business of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act.

Articles 32 and 48