KOSHA discussed safety and health measures with a chemical company and its suppliers

KOSHA had a discussion on chemical accident prevention and joint safety and health program with LG Chem and suppliers in Yeosu

Sep. 04 2013

○ Amid a series of fires and explosions including a fatal explosion at a chemical plant in Yeosu on March 17, KOSHA discussed safety measure and accident prevention plans with officials from LG Chem, a chemical factory in Yeosu, and its suppliers. LG Chem’s factory in Yeosu produces petrochemical products like PVC and more than 2,000 employees are working at the Yeosu factory including those of 20 or so suppliers.

○ President of KOSHA Basek Hun,ki and others, in a visit to the Industrial Complex in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, checked how safety and health measures are managed and had a discussion about how to prevent chemical accidents.

○ The visit comes ahead of the fall season when chemical factory maintenance works increase and so does the possibility of chemical accidents. The visit was joined by LG Chem’s general OSH manager and representatives from its 23 suppliers.

○ With safety and health measures for maintenance works of the suppliers topping the agenda, others include how to strengthen safety and health training for new entrants at the suppliers, support for OSH program of the suppliers, plan on risk assessment by process, and KOSHA’s consulting service.

○ Recent occupational accidents statistics show that the total number of victims by chemical accidents is on a decrease over the last five years but the victims of fire, explosion, or leakage are increasing.

※ No. of fire, explosion, leakage victims at chemical product manufacturers (5 yrs)

○ Against this backdrop, KOSHA has launched a special taskforce for chemical accident prevention and chemical accidents investigation committee to set up a chemical accidents response mechanism and had meetings with OSH officials to come up with strategic prevention measures.

○ “Recent chemical explosion accidents happened during a maintenance work by contractors,” Mr. Baek said. “Accidents occur especially when workers push the work too fast and accordingly fail to meet the safety standards. At any costs, the Process Safety Management should be strictly followed.”

Mr. Baek (second from the left) is discussing safety measures with OSH officials.