Laboratory Safety Budget Raised to 2–3%... High-Risk Labs Upgraded to 'Grade 1'

Ministry of Science and ICT Expands Safety Management Personnel and Strengthens Accountability
"Institutional Heads Also Subject to Penalties for Repeated Accidents"

The government has announced comprehensive measures to reduce recurring laboratory safety accidents, including raising the safety management fee to a maximum of 3% and upgrading high-risk laboratories to 'Safety Grade 1' standards. The management system will also be extensively revised, with strengthened accountability extending not only to principal investigators but also to institutional heads.

On April 29, the Ministry of Science and ICT held a Laboratory Safety Review Committee meeting at Hanyang University's Seoul campus, presided over by First Vice Minister Koo Hyuk-chae, where the 'Measures to Strengthen Laboratory Safety' were reviewed and approved.

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These measures focus on building a 'prevention-centered safety system' to proactively block accidents, reflecting the increasing risks in advanced and large-scale research environments due to chemical substances, high-pressure gases, and semiconductor processes. In particular, high-risk laboratories with frequent accidents have been designated as priority targets for intensive management.

Increased Safety Budget and Expanded Workforce: Shift from Management to Prevention

The core elements fall into three major categories: ▲expanding safety infrastructure, ▲establishing a safety culture, and ▲strengthening accountability.

First, regarding the safety infrastructure, the goal is to upgrade current Grade 2 and 3 laboratories with certain deficiencies to Grade 1 standards. To achieve this, essential safety facilities such as local exhaust systems, high-pressure gas cabinets, and waste reagent treatment facilities will be expanded. At present, approximately 38.6% of all laboratories are classified as Grade 2 or 3 and require improvement.

The safety management fee will also see a significant increase. The legally mandated safety management fee, which was previously set at 1% or higher of project personnel expenses, will be raised to at least 2% for regular projects and at least 3% for high-risk projects, encouraging substantial additional investment. The plan specifically focuses financial resources on improving high-risk laboratories.

On-site management staff will be expanded as well. Previously, institutions with over 1,000 research personnel were required to assign at least one dedicated staff member. Going forward, institutions with over 3,000 research personnel must assign at least two, and additional personnel must be assigned for every 250 high-risk laboratories. The role, previously centered on routine inspection, will shift to intensive management of high-risk laboratories.

There will also be significant changes in education and culture. The minimum safety training time required for student researchers in high-risk laboratories will be increased from two to four hours, and completion of this training will be mandatory prior to participation in research. Hands-on training simulating actual accident scenarios will also be strengthened to enhance on-site response capabilities.

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Additionally, a mobile-based integrated safety management platform will be established, and the development of AI-powered risk prediction technologies will be pursued. Through expanded safety campaigns and 'Safety Week' initiatives, a participatory culture among researchers will also be promoted.

The accountability system will be further tightened. If accidents with the same cause are repeated, institutional heads will face increased fines, and mandatory safety training will be required for institutional leaders such as university presidents. Separate fines will also be imposed on laboratory heads who neglect to ensure the use of personal protective equipment or fail to conduct risk analyses, resulting in serious accidents.

Furthermore, it will become mandatory to assign dedicated safety managers to high-risk and large-scale laboratories, and the criteria for classifying accidents will be further detailed to enhance the management system. It will also become compulsory to report follow-up actions for accidents requiring hospitalization of three days or more.

The government plans to implement these measures in phases by amending the 'Laboratory Safety Environment Act.' Koo Hyuk-chae, First Vice Minister of Science and ICT, stated, "Protecting the lives and safety of researchers is the foundation of national competitiveness," and added, "We will strengthen systems and support to create an environment where researchers can focus on their work with peace of mind."

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