Chemical Accident Prevention Center to be established at Yeosu Industrial Complex

Scheduled to open on Jan. 28, the center will be run jointly by 5 government agencies,

supporting accident prevention and recovery throughout Gwangju, Jeollanam-do, and Jeju Island

Jan. 24, 2014

A center for chemical accident prevention, run jointly by 5 government agencies, will open at the Yeosu National Industrial Complex.

The Chemical Accident Prevention Center will start its operations on January 28 to prevent leaks of toxic gas such as phosgene and ammonia and spills of chemical substances such as toluene and benzene, and to support rescue and recovery if accidents do occur. The center is located on the third and fourth floors of Jin-nam Arts Center, Bonggye-dong, Yeosu-si.

This newly-established center will integrate three to four agencies’ activities for chemical substances management in order to prevent chemical accidents and lead emergency evacuation drills for local residents. Even though the center oversees a wide range of area from Gwangju to Jeollanam-do to Jeju Island, it is located near the entrance of the Yeosu Industrial Complex, where large-scale chemical factories are operating, for operational efficiency.

Forty personnel will be dispatched to the center from relevant agencies in five different fields: the environment, labor, industry, safety, and firefighting.

The center will operate a situation room and five teams: Workplace Safety Investigation Team, Gas Accident Investigation Team, Emergency Response Coordination Team, Patient Transport & Rescue Team, and Resident Evacuation & Recovery Support Team.

Seok-jae Gang of Industrial Complex Support Team at the Yeosu City Government said, “An advanced disaster response system has been established. The center is expected to minimize damage to local communities by sharing information on various risks and scientifically estimating damage from accidents. For that reason, workplaces and residents in the region are welcoming the new establishment.” End.