Daehung R&T and Duseong Industry 'Acute Poisoning' Spread... Ministry of Employment and Labor "Initiates Additional Investigation"

Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) are marching toward Yeouido on the afternoon of the 3rd in front of the Korea Employers Federation building in Daehyeong-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, demanding a thorough investigation and punishment of those responsible for the Yeocheon NCC explosion accident, as well as the establishment of measures for serious accidents.
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A total of 29 workers from Duseong Industry and Daeheung R&T have been diagnosed with acute poisoning caused by trichloromethane, and the Ministry of Employment and Labor has also issued temporary health examination orders to 16 suppliers of Yuseong Chemical, the manufacturer of the cleaning agent known to be the cause of the accident.

On the 4th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced, "We completed the first investigation from the 21st to the 24th of last month on 36 workplaces using the cleaning agent manufactured by Yuseong Chemical and issued temporary health examination orders to 16 of them."

Since the 24th of last month, additional investigations have begun on 89 workplaces using the cleaning agent, secured through a search and seizure of the manufacturing company, to check for similar symptoms.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, so far, a total of 29 workers have shown acute poisoning symptoms from using this cleaning agent: 16 workers at Duseong Industry, an air conditioner parts manufacturer in Changwon, Gyeongnam, and 13 workers at Daeheung R&T, an automobile parts manufacturer in Gimhae, Gyeongnam.

As the Ministry has started investigations into other workplaces using the same cleaning agent, the number of workers with acute poisoning may increase in the future.

In the case of Daeheung R&T, on the 21st of last month, three workers showed symptoms of acute toxic hepatitis, and after issuing temporary health examination orders for a total of 94 workers, 13 workers were diagnosed with occupational disease due to toxic hepatitis caused by trichloromethane on the 2nd.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor issued an order to stop cleaning operations at the workplace under the Industrial Safety and Health Act the day before.

It was investigated that Daeheung R&T received the cleaning agent manufactured by Yuseong Chemical, the manufacturer of the cleaning agent used at Duseong Industry where the acute toxic hepatitis accident occurred last month. The cleaning agent contains trichloromethane.

It was found that in some processes, workers were exposed to trichloromethane at levels 4.7 times higher than the exposure limit considering working hours.

Daeheung R&T is highly likely to be subject to the Serious Accident Punishment Act. After further investigation, if it is judged to be subject to the Serious Accident Punishment Act, the Busan Regional Employment and Labor Office will initiate a formal investigation.

Kwon Ki-seop, head of the Industrial Safety and Health Headquarters at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, said, "It is important to confirm with chemical manufacturers and distributors if the Material Safety Data Sheet does not specify detailed information about the chemicals handled or if sufficient guidance on hazards has not been provided, and to fully inform workers about the hazards."

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