• 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.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.23-30
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• 2016

This study analyzed the characteristics of chemical accidents, including the accidents occurring each year according to status, type of accident, accident cause for chemical substance transporting accidents. The major aim of this study was to provide information on the chemical accidents that occurred involving chemical substance transporting accidents from 2013 to July - 2016. The total incidence of chemical transporting accidents was 77 cases; 74 cases occurred by the spill & leakage type. The main cause of the accidents analyzed was traffic accidents (41 cases). Forty-six accidents were related to hazardous chemical substances. Among the 46 hazardous chemical substances involved in transporting chemical accidents, 46% of the accident substances were hydrogen chloride. For the prevention and response to accidents occurring during the transportation of chemicals, it is necessary to complement the precautions for chemical accidents caused by transportation accidents and chemical spills and leaks of chemicals. In addition, when the chemical transport of an accident occurs, it is necessary to apply a chemical transport safety system for chemical transfer.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.196-203
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess environmental risk on the emerging contaminants of concern, such as ivermetin, parziquantel, tamiflu and triclosan. Furthermore, we tried to provide a more efficient management practice and a basis for future studies of risk assessment on those substances. Methods: Predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) and predicted environmental concentration (PEC) were determined through modeling and literature reviews. Environmental risk assessment was evaluated by calculating HQ (hazard quotient) by a comparison of PEC (or measured environmental concentration (MEC)) and PNEC. Results: HQ value of tamiflu calculated from MEC was 1.9E-03. For ivermectin and triclosan, the HQ values were not available because these were not detected in the aquatic environment. The toxicity of ivermectin and triclosan showed a very low value, indicating a high level of HQ. However, praziquantel can be categorized into the material that do not require management since they have less than HQ 1. Conclusion: Based on the results of the initial risk assessment, it is assumed that the ivermectin and triclosan have potential to cause direct adverse effects on the aquatic environment. To conduct an accurate environmental risk assessment, the further study on PEC estimation of such contaminants should be actively carried out.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.69-74
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• 2001

In this study, we analyzed the accident scenarios of chemical plants through the analysis of lots of chemical accidents and using experts knowledge, and looked into the method of prevention and response. Moreover, we developed a systemic and actual Emergency Response Plan Software(ERPS) that could prevent, prepare and respond totally for the chemical industry facilities using the data from the accident effect estimation from the local society and the geographic information of a chemical plant. The ERPS consists of the information for the plant and process, the consequence analysis and the ERPTA(Emergency Response Plan Tree Analysis). In conclusion, the program developed in this study could help effectively all the chemical industry facilities to prevent and respond to possible accidents.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2017

Chemicals are convenient for humans but the damage caused by hazardous chemicals can be widespread if they are not managed properly. The Chemical Substance Management Act strengthened the management of hazardous chemicals and the management of handling facilities. On the other hand, an analysis of chemical accidents occurring in the past 4 years showed that chemical accidents occurring at the handling facilities are increasing, and additional preventive measures are needed. In this study, to prevent chemical accidents of hazardous chemicals, the causes and problems of accidents were analyzed through the case study of chemical accidents and measures for improvement are proposed.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.232-244
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to develop a management system for the safe handling of chemicals and related health management based on reporting under the Chemical Control Act (CCA). It is used to search handling information by constructing data linked to the name of companies, chemicals, products, etc. Methods: Due to the differences in submission periods for each reporting regulation of the Chemical Control Act, the data used is as follows: A statistical survey collected 26,222 companies in 2014 and 2016, Pollutant Release Transfer Registers (PRTR) collected 4,234 companies in 2015-2017, performance reports by handlers of hazardous chemical substances collected 14,658 companies in 2016-2018, and declarations for import of toxic chemicals collected 892 companies in 2016-2017. The total information on 36,080 companies is standardized based on company ID, name, business registration number, address, and more. The data were classified into information such as company, chemical, and product name and amounts handled and released, and then extracted according to criteria to establish relationships among classified information. Results: A search service was developed for handling information on chemical substances for reporting data by linking four reporting data: statistical survey, PRTR, performance report by handler of hazardous chemical substances, and declaration for import of toxic chemicals under the CCA. It was composed of five menus to search by regulation type, reporting regulation, companies and chemicals, and system management. Conclusion: It is necessary to use data linked by company, region, and chemical to respond and to prevent chemical accidents. In addition, these items can be utilized to perform handling and safety management of chemicals according to whether regulations under the CCA may be implemented.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.21-31
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• 2012

This study was conducted in order to assist with infusing safety consciousness and resolving insensitivity towards safety for industrial accident in workers, managers and executives of chemical companies. Among many industrial accident prevention methods, Korea has been mostly taking an engineering approach of preventing industrial accidents by replacing old machines with risks of an accident and through new facilities and equipments. Through an attitude survey of workers in large scale chemical companies, this study wished to examine the fact that the biggest reason why the accident rate for the past 10 years has not decreased is because safety consciousness has not been established yet.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.765-774
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• 2023

The Ministry of Employment and Labor implemented the process safety management(PSM) system from 1996 to prevent major industrial accidents caused by chemical substances, but the number of accidents did not drastically decrease. Even in workplaces with excellent PSM ratings, large-scale chemical accidents still occur due to non-compliance with safety work procedures and insufficient safety measures during maintenance and other work. Accordingly, the chemical accident risk warning system was introduced in 2014 to supplement the PSM system and prevent accidents that may occur during regular or unexpected maintenance and repair work. In the meantime, changes in the safety management system have been checked since the introduction of the chemical accident risk warning system at chemical handling workplaces, and based on the results, a plan for upgrading this system has been proposed. The effect of the CARW system was found to directly prevent accidents through wired and on-site consulting and post-management at the workplace and indirectly contribute to the establishment of a safety and health management system at the workplace, such as improving safety culture awareness.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.360-366
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• 2018

Purpose: This study operation of Joint inter-agency Chemical Emergency Preparedness Center and contribute to the reduction of chemical accidents that occur continuously. Method: The Joint inter-agency Chemical Emergency Preparedness Center functions and Chemical accident statistics data of the ('13~'17) were utilized. Results: The number of chemical accidents is decreasing from 113 in '15, 78 in '16, 87 in '17(latest five years 469 chemical accidents). The Joint inter-agency Chemical Emergency Preparedness Center is located in the industrial complex that handling a large amount of chemical, and performs functions such as prompt response, probation & investigation, accident prevention training, safety patrol. It is believed that it contributes to the decreasing of chemical accident by local control accident prevention function. Conclusion: Decreasing the safety management according to the Chemicals control act('15.1.1). The Joint inter-agency Chemical Emergency Preparedness Center('14.1 set up manage organization), which is operated as a mission to prepare respond to chemical accidents, plays a role.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.306-313
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study is suggested to improve upon current existing methods of ammonia chemical accident prevention and damage reduction. Method: Ammonia is one of the most common toxic substances that causes frequent chemical accidents. And it was selected as leakage materials according to statistics on chemical accident. Based on actual cases of chemical accidents, CARIS modeling was used to compare the damage impact range of Ammonia and HCl and Cl. Also, find out problems with the current systems. Result: As a result of find out the range of accident influence that spreads to the surroundings when an ammonia chemical accident, it was longer than the range of influence of hydrochloric acid and shorter than that of chlorine. In addition, it was found that when chemical accident by ammonia, hydrochloric acid, or chlorine, there are apartments and schools, which can have an effect. Conclusion: It is decided that it is necessary to determine whether or not chemical accident prevention management plans and statistical investigations are submitted for workplaces dealing with ammonia, and detailed guidelines and reviews are necessary. In addition, it is judged that it is necessary to establish a DB for ammonia handling plants, and it is considered that information sharing and joint inspection among related organizations should be pursued.