Request a Demo
Updates: On October 18, 2022, South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) issued a notice to adopt the Amendments to the Standard of Occupational Safety and Health, based on the public consultation (closed in June) on the proposed changes (see below). The MoEL adopted the proposal - adding 8 reproductive toxic substances as 'hazardous substances subject to control', of which 7 substances are subject to special management except for cyclohexylamine.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) is consulting on amendments to the Standard of Occupational Safety and Health1 (hereafter referred to as the Standard). The consultation will close on June 7, 2022 (MoEL Notice 2022-2012).
The Standard was stipulated according to the requirements of Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). It will partially amend safety standards for cranes and excavators and establish safety rules for CO2 fire extinguishing facilities to prevent industrial accidents. In addition, in a major change, the draft proposed to add eight reproductive toxic substances into the Annex 12 of the Standard as “hazardous substances subject to management”, of which seven substances are marked as “subject to special management” as they possess reproductive toxicity Cat. 1A or 1B.
Currently the list of “hazardous substances subject to control” covers 117 organic compounds, 24 metals, 17 acids and alkalis, and 15 gaseous substances. They are defined as per Article 420 of the Standard as substances including raw materials, gases, vapors, dusts, fumes and mists that are likely to cause considerable damage to workers’ health and thus require health precautionary measures in accordance with Article 39 of OSHA. In addition, those classified as CMRs will be remarked as "subject to special management".
As proposed, six substances will be added into the category of “organic compounds”, one into “metals” and the other one into “acids and alkalis”. They are:
2-Nitrotoluene; 88-72-2 (subject to special management)
Dibutyl phthalate; 84-74-2 (subject to special management)
Benzo(a)pyrene; 50-32-8 (subject to special management)
Cyclohexylamine; 108-91-8
Warfarin; 81-81-2 (subject to special management)
Formamide; 75-12-7 (subject to special management)
Boron oxide; 1303-86-2 (subject to special management)
Sodium tetraborate; 1330-43-4, 12179-04-3, 1303-96-4 (subject to special management)
Handling of hazardous substances subject to control is required to follow the health and safety measures specified in the Standard, e.g., installing alarm device, anti-leakage facilities, ventilation system in the workplace. For those subject to special management, the handlers shall prepare and keep record the following information for three years, including the workers exposed to the substances, substances details, volume, workers operations, protective equipment, as well as the measures to take in case of an accident such as leakage, contamination, etc. In addition, workers shall be notified of CMRs that they could be exposed to in the workplace through bulletin boards.
