[Report] "Safety Must Be Ensured and Administrative Burden Reduced"... Revised Chemical Control Act to Take Effect in April Next Year

SK Hynix "SMEs Lack Chemical Substance Managers"
Law Revised Reflecting Industry Opinions to Improve Work Efficiency
Safety Training Completers Now Allowed to Participate in Shipping Operations
Streamlined Duplicate Documents Reduce Cost and Time Consumption

On the 10th, SK Hynix employees wearing protective suits are transferring chemical substances from a tanker to storage containers. (Photo by Joint Press Corps)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] On the morning of the 10th at SK Hynix Cheongju Plant, employees clad in yellow protective suits were busy transferring sulfuric acid contained in large tank lorries to storage facilities.

Sulfuric acid, used for semiconductor cleaning, is a hazardous chemical that can have fatal effects on the human body even through inhalation. SK Hynix handles 29 types of hazardous chemicals for semiconductor processes, including sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and ammonia water, with an annual handling volume of about 95,000 tons.

Since the hydrofluoric acid gas leak accident in Gumi, Gyeongbuk in 2012, the Chemical Substances Control Act enacted thereafter has brought domestic chemical management regulations to an advanced level comparable to developed countries. However, the industry has continuously requested the easing of complex and stringent administrative procedures. One such regulation requires a chemical substance manager to be present during the loading and unloading of hazardous chemicals, as chemical spills most frequently occur during this process. A chemical substance manager refers to a person holding certifications such as engineer, technician, or industrial engineer in the safety and environment field.

Although this was a measure to strengthen chemical safety, small and micro businesses could not afford to hire multiple managers, causing delays in operations due to a shortage of managers. An SK Hynix official stated, "Small partner companies complain that due to a lack of managers, shipment work is delayed, and ultimately, they have to rush the work, which could lead to accidents."

In response, the Ministry of Environment amended the law to allow those who have completed safety training conducted by the Chemical Safety Center to participate in chemical loading and unloading operations in addition to managers. This revision of the Chemical Substances Control Act, which reflects industry opinions while maintaining safety management levels, was promulgated in March and will be fully implemented from April next year.

A notable feature of this amendment is the simplification of documents that chemical handling businesses must submit to obtain permits. Previously, companies had to submit and undergo review for both an off-site impact assessment report and a risk management plan. Although these procedures were for chemical accident prevention and response, 47% of the content overlapped, leading to criticism over unnecessary administrative burdens and costs for companies. The revised Chemical Substances Control Act integrates the two documents into a 'Chemical Accident Prevention Management Plan,' streamlining and removing overlapping parts to reduce the review period to about half (from 60 days to 30 days).

SK Hynix stated, "Since 2017, we have been communicating through meetings held about every two months, hosted by economic organizations or the Ministry of Environment," and added, "We hope that while maintaining the level of chemical safety management, the government and industry will continue to work together to simplify administrative procedures."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.