Gyeonggi Fire Department "Passage of Ordinance Amendment to Significantly Strengthen Hazardous Materials Management"
The management scope for small quantities of hazardous materials will be significantly strengthened from the current threshold of more than half of the designated quantity to more than one-fifth. Additionally, when the safety management officer of a temporary hazardous materials storage and handling facility is absent, a deputy must be mandatorily appointed.
The Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced on the 28th that the amendment to the "Gyeonggi-do Hazardous Materials Safety Management Ordinance," which was primarily proposed by Lee Sang-won, a member of the Safety and Administration Committee of the Gyeonggi-do Council, was recently promulgated.
The amendment includes a significant strengthening of the management scope for small quantities of hazardous materials, changing the threshold from more than half of the designated quantity to more than one-fifth. The enforcement date is set for September 21, six months after the promulgation.
The amendment also includes, for the first time nationwide, a clear definition of the responsibilities of the safety management officer at temporary hazardous materials storage and handling facilities, and mandates the appointment of a deputy in case of absence.
Accordingly, the safety management officer is required to give instructions and supervise related workers during hazardous materials handling operations, and to provide first aid and report to the fire department in case of fire or other disasters. Furthermore, if the safety management officer is temporarily absent, a deputy must be designated to act on their behalf.
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According to the Fire and Disaster Headquarters, there were 124 hazardous materials-related accidents in the Gyeonggi area over the past five years, of which 29 cases (23%) occurred at small-scale businesses below the designated quantity. The number of approvals for temporary storage and handling facilities has also increased annually, with 51 cases in 2020, 159 in 2021, and 176 in 2022.
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