The petrochemical industry plans to invest 320 billion won this year in safety measures, including replacing aging equipment and purchasing safety gear, despite a sluggish market.
On July 10, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held a meeting with the petrochemical sector to review the current state of safety management and investment in safety equipment. This meeting follows a previous gathering on May 8, aimed at ensuring that safety management continues without disruption amid reduced investment capacity due to industry downturns.
The ministry and the Korea Chemical Industry Association have conducted safety management assessments in the petrochemical sector and carried out on-site inspections at major facilities in Ulsan, Yeosu, and Daesan. The inspections revealed that the industry is set to invest a total of 320 billion won in safety this year. Specifically, 162.7 billion won will go toward replacing and repairing aging equipment, 26.7 billion won for safety equipment purchases, 14.5 billion won for digital safety transformation, and 27.9 billion won for safety consulting.
The ministry reports that the industry has established and is operating safety management systems in accordance with four key safety-related laws: the Industrial Safety and Health Act, the Chemical Substances Control Act, the High-Pressure Gas Safety Control Act, and the Hazardous Materials Safety Control Act. All facilities have completed 100% of required safety and job training, and they maintain emergency response capabilities through training for handling hazardous chemicals.
However, while major accidents in processes are on the decline, general industrial accidents such as entrapments and falls continue to occur. The number of safety incidents in the petrochemical sector rose from 30 in 2022 to 35 in 2023, 47 in 2024, and 46 in 2025. During the same period, fatalities decreased from eight in 2022 to one in 2023, with no fatalities reported in 2024 and 2025.
This indicates that while process safety management has achieved some success in preventing major fires and explosions, basic safety management during routine operations remains vulnerable. In particular, the petrochemical sector, which involves extensive maintenance and repair work, faces potential safety management gaps between primary and subcontracted workers that could lead to general industrial accidents.
During the meeting, discussions focused on enhancing preventive safety management through smart technology, strengthening integrated safety management between primary and subcontractors, and improving systems for early identification and response to hazards. The ministry plans to share best practices among companies and promote measures to reduce general industrial accidents.
Yang Gi-wook, head of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's Industrial Resource Security Office, expressed gratitude to the industry for its ongoing efforts to maintain safety management in the face of challenging market conditions. He urged continued focus on preventive safety management activities, including inspections of aging equipment, adherence to work procedures, and maintenance of emergency response systems.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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