New safety standards for handling hazardous chemicals tailored to the shipbuilding industry went into effect on June 30. The key change involves improving existing uniform facility standards to better reflect the unique characteristics of shipbuilding, which often involves coastal work and mobile processes.
The Chemical Safety Agency, under the Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment, announced on June 30 that it has established customized handling facility standards that consider the conditions of shipbuilding sites.
The new standards address feedback from the field, noting that shipbuilding often occurs in coastal areas and that work locations frequently change, making it difficult to apply existing facility standards directly.
The shipbuilding industry has been calling for separate facility standards suitable for mobile processes since 2022, when components like copper oxide were designated as hazardous chemicals. The Chemical Safety Agency has conducted field surveys and technical reviews since last year, gathering input from industry stakeholders, experts, and civic groups to finalize the standards.
According to the new standards, mobile collection facilities will be permitted at sites where the coast or work location is not fixed. Additionally, for mobile operations or processes that continuously spray antifouling paint, existing detection and alarm systems can be replaced with closed-circuit television (CCTV) and monitoring personnel.
The standards also enhance safety criteria for high-pressure spray painting equipment and establish management guidelines to prevent hazardous chemicals from entering the marine environment during antifouling paint operations. The Chemical Safety Agency explained that these standards align with the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) procedures for the 'International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships,' ensuring international-level marine pollution prevention standards.
Notably, the incorporation of IMO standards reflects a dual focus on workplace safety and marine pollution prevention in this new system.
These standards apply to businesses classified under the Korean Standard Industrial Classification as 'Shipbuilding and Floating Structures (3111).' The Chemical Safety Agency anticipates that the implementation of these standards will generate approximately 2.8 trillion won in economic benefits for the industry.
Park Bong-kyun, head of the Chemical Safety Agency, stated, "We engaged in discussions with various stakeholders to reflect the voices from the field while ensuring compliance with international standards. We will continue to support and enhance the new standards to ensure their stable implementation in the shipbuilding industry."
The Chemical Safety Agency, under the Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment, announced on June 30 that it has established customized handling facility standards that consider the conditions of shipbuilding sites.
The new standards address feedback from the field, noting that shipbuilding often occurs in coastal areas and that work locations frequently change, making it difficult to apply existing facility standards directly.
The shipbuilding industry has been calling for separate facility standards suitable for mobile processes since 2022, when components like copper oxide were designated as hazardous chemicals. The Chemical Safety Agency has conducted field surveys and technical reviews since last year, gathering input from industry stakeholders, experts, and civic groups to finalize the standards.
According to the new standards, mobile collection facilities will be permitted at sites where the coast or work location is not fixed. Additionally, for mobile operations or processes that continuously spray antifouling paint, existing detection and alarm systems can be replaced with closed-circuit television (CCTV) and monitoring personnel.
The standards also enhance safety criteria for high-pressure spray painting equipment and establish management guidelines to prevent hazardous chemicals from entering the marine environment during antifouling paint operations. The Chemical Safety Agency explained that these standards align with the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) procedures for the 'International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships,' ensuring international-level marine pollution prevention standards.
Notably, the incorporation of IMO standards reflects a dual focus on workplace safety and marine pollution prevention in this new system.
These standards apply to businesses classified under the Korean Standard Industrial Classification as 'Shipbuilding and Floating Structures (3111).' The Chemical Safety Agency anticipates that the implementation of these standards will generate approximately 2.8 trillion won in economic benefits for the industry.
Park Bong-kyun, head of the Chemical Safety Agency, stated, "We engaged in discussions with various stakeholders to reflect the voices from the field while ensuring compliance with international standards. We will continue to support and enhance the new standards to ensure their stable implementation in the shipbuilding industry."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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