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Recently, the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) released on its chemical information website (msds.kosha.or.kr/MSDSInfo/) the revised Emergency Response Methods for Explosions and Fires Related to Water-Reactive Substances.
This revision mainly updates fire-fighting measures for target water-reactive substances, which shall be indicated in Section 5 of the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). Water-reactive substances can lead to greater damage during fire or explosion incidents if improper fire-fighting measures are used. To prevent this, KOSHA emphasizes that relevant companies shall accurately reflect the updated emergency response methods in their MSDSs and ensure that all employees are fully informed and strictly adhere to them.
Target Substances
KOSHA provides a detailed list of 90 target water-reactive substances, specifying their names, English names, and CAS numbers. It includes Aluminum (CAS No. 7429-90-5), Aluminum Hydride (CAS No. 7784-21-6), and other 88 water-reactive substances, which companies can reference for compliance. The scope covers common elements such as aluminum, barium, calcium, cerium, and various metal compounds. Whole list is available here.
List Screenshot
Recommended Fire-fighting Measures
Past incidents have shown that incorrect firefighting methods often lead to more severe damage from water-reactive substances in emergencies. With reference to Guide 138 and Guide 139 of the 2024 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG), this revision aims to effectively prevent such occurrences and enhance the ability to respond to related accidents. Details are shown in table below.
Compliance Recommendations
This revision is important for companies handling water-reactive substances. Timely updates and precise improvements to the MSDS can enhance companies' ability to respond to related incidents, ensuring production safety and the safety of employees.
According to Article 159, Item 1 of the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Act, it is not a mandatory obligation to resubmit the MSDS solely for updates related to emergency response methods for explosions and fires. However, if there are any changes to the product name, component names, quantities, or hazards, the MSDS must be updated accordingly and resubmitted.
