• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.49-53
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• 2020

This study aimed to identify the characteristics of 40 chemical accidents that occurred in Jeollabuk-do from 2004 to 2019. During this time, there were 2.5 accidents per year on average in the province; their types were classified as spill/leak, fire, explosion, adverse reaction, and complex. There were 34 leaks and six explosions, and they are categorized as follows: 12 by worker error, 16 from facility defects, and 12 by transport vehicle accidents. The substances involved in these accidents were ammonia (15%), sulfuric acid (12.5%), and silicon tetrachloride (7.5%). Notably, the rate of chemical accidents (75%) is the highest during spring and summer. In order to reduce chemical accidents, first, there should be compliance with the relevant laws. Second, the quality of safety education and training of workers should be improved. Finally, valuable government support is also necessary to improve facilities.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.179-182
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• 2023

The Chemical Substances Control Act has been legislated to counter the risks posed by chemical substances to public health and the environment, but a number of small- and large-scaled incidents related to hazardous chemicals continue to occur every year. The Korean Ministry of Environment takes legal responsibility for prevention, preparedness, and response to nationwide chemical accidents under the Chemical Substances Control Act. The determination of chemical accidents that occur during hazardous chemical handling processes is based on the Article 2 (Definitions) of the law and the administrative criteria for judgement of chemical accidents. However, there are certain ambiguities in the scientific basis for determining chemical accidents under the current regulations. Whether or not a chemical accident has a direct influence on penalties and administrative measures for a workplace where an accident occurred, it is necessary to find reasonable criteria for determining chemical accident based on legal and scientific evidence.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.124-136
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• 2008

The systematic information management of chemical accidents has been required as a tool for the policy making, system improvement and release of information concerning accident prevention. However, there is not yet a systematic chemical accidents tracking system in Korea, which make confusion among the related government agencies and the parties to accidents that the related statistics are different from each others. In this study, We developed the Chemical Accident Tracking System (CATS) using chemical accident classification which was made up of 12 upper classes, 70 middle classes, 272 lower classes. The CATS is mainly consist list up module, reporting module, searching and statistic module, etc. The CATS is expected to be applied to the information tracking and database system for chemical accidents and improve its manageability.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.110-116
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• 2016

The major aim of this study was to provide information on the chemical accidents that occurred in laboratories over the last 3 years. The total incidence of laboratory chemical accidents was 30 cases; 25 cases occurred at educational institutions. Most accidents (19 cases) occurred due to spills and leaks. The main cause of the accidents analyzed was worker carelessness (21 cases). Twenty-two accidents were related to hazardous chemical substances. In addition, general chemical substances as well as waste liquid contributed 26% to the incidents related to the laboratory. Among the 22 hazardous chemical substances involved in laboratory chemical accident, 67% of accident substances were accident preparedness substances.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.72-79
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• 2019

Through this study, we developed a model for predicting chemical accidents lead to casualties. The model was derived from the logistic regression analysis model and applied to the variables affecting the accident. The accident data used in the model was analyzed by studying the statistics of past chemical accidents, and applying independent variables that were statistically significant through data analysis, such as the type of accident, cause, place of occurrence, status of casualties, and type of chemical accident that caused the casualties. A significance of p < 0.05 was applied. The model developed in this study is meaningful for the prevention of casualties caused by chemical accidents and the establishment of safety systems in the workplace. The analysis using the model found that the most influential factor in the occurrence of casualty in accidents was chemical explosions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to prepare countermeasures to prevent chemical accidents, specifically explosions, from occurring in the workplace.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2018

In the trend of increasing awareness of chemical accidents, hazardous chemical transport vehicle accidents are occurring every year. In this study, we analyzed improvement of accident prevention and countermeasures through statistical analysis of hazardous chemical transport vehicle accidents. A total of 383 chemical accidents between January 2014 and December 2017 were analyzed. During this period, number of transportation accidents was 83 cases, accounting for 21.67% of total chemical accidents. In the current system, despite the direct handling of hazardous chemical, it is out of regulation of damage prediction unlike the workplace. In order to effectively respond to actual accident, information on damage prediction is required and should be shared with related ministry. And it should be developed to real-time monitoring of hazardous chemical transport vehicle through integrated control tower.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.42-49
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• 2019

This study statistically analyzed the laboratory accidents by investigating 806 laboratory accident survey reports which were officially submitted to government from 2013 to June 2017. After comparing domestic and foreign accident classification criteria, the laboratory accidents were classified using KCD7(Korean Standard Classification of Diseases) and OIICS(Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System) criteria. For the type and part of injury, KCD7 classification criteria was adopted. And, for the cause and occurrence type of accidents, OIICS was adopted to analyze the laboratory accidents. Most of injuries happened to the wrist and hand caused by sharp materials or chemical materials. The analysis of accident cause showed that accidents resulted in medical practice and accidents from handtools and chemical materials such as acid and alkali frequently occurred. The major occurrence types of laboratory accidents was body exposure to the chemical materials such as hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. In addition, the accidents resulted in destroy of grasped object or falling object were frequently reported.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.20-29
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• 2016

Although a number of chemical accidents have been occurred in South Korea, the effective prevention act for soil contamination has not been established so far. To effectively protect soil contamination from chemical accidents, decision support laws and regulations are absolutely essential. Regarding this situation, this study was aimed at diagnosing problems in current chemical safety management and prevention and response system against chemical accidents through analyzing the domestic and foreign causes of chemical accidents and the accident response procedures and finally suggesting policy measures for solving those problems. In order to clarify management of soil contamination by chemical accident, this study suggests the establishment of chemical accident preparedness, response, and making of local chemical management law and policy. This law needs to be supported by a clear management framework to guide government officials and all other stakeholders in the management of soil contamination by chemical accident.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.25 no.6_2
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• pp.979-986
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• 2022

Chemical accidents are increasing day by day as the industry develops. To prevent such chemical accidents, Korea enacted the Chemicals Control Act. Through these laws, systematic management of chemical substances began. There are various positions in the companies. hazardous chemical supervisors, equipment and technical human, operators and employees. Chemicals-related education for each position should be provided. As a result of the survey, hazardous chemical supervisors and equipment and technical human liked the overall content of the Chemicals Control Act and the education subject on safety management standards for facilities. Conversely, the operators liked the course on how to wear personal protective equipment. The employees preferred subjects such as classification of chemical substances and prevention of chemical accidents. Currently, various modular textbooks are widely available. Rather than general education, it is necessary to select and provide customized subjects that are preferred and interested according to the position. Then it will be more effective in understanding harzardous chemical substances and in preventing chemical accidents.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.14-22
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• 2016

This study analyzed the chemical accidents of hydrochloric acid which is the most frequent chemical in order to make safety management improvement plans. 28 Cases have occurred for the last 4 years, 8 cases of which were casualty accidents, and more efficient plans are needed to minimize the accidents. For this purpose, this study investigated the problems through yearly statistics of the chemical accidents, and suggested appropriate measures of facility management, safety culture and management plans. It is important for businesses to make and implement the improvement measures according to time schedule.