Gyeonggi Fire Service: "Submit Regular Inspection Results for Hazardous Materials Facilities from the 21st"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hoon] The Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters urged managers of hazardous materials facilities such as gas stations and oil storage tanks to submit regular inspection results to the competent fire station within 30 days of the inspection date.

This is because the revised "Hazardous Materials Safety Management Act," which was amended last year, will be fully enforced from the 21st.

Hazardous materials facilities are places where hazardous materials exceeding a specified quantity are manufactured, stored, or handled, including pharmaceutical or chemical storage facilities, oil tanks, and gas stations.

The most significant feature of the revised "Hazardous Materials Safety Management Act" is the new provision on "submission of regular inspection results for hazardous materials facilities."

Hazardous materials facilities conduct regular inspections at least once a year through safety managers or hazardous materials transporters. From the 21st, managers of facilities that conduct regular inspections must submit the inspection results to the competent fire station within 30 days of the inspection date.

Previously, regular inspection results were kept in-house for three years with no obligation to submit them to the fire station. If a regular inspection was conducted before the 21st, it does not need to be submitted to the fire station this year.

Failure to comply results in significantly increased penalties, with the maximum administrative fine raised from 2 million won to 5 million won.

This stems from the oil storage facility fire that occurred in Goyang City in October 2018 and is a measure to strengthen self-inspection by oil storage facility managers.

Additionally, when operations of hazardous materials facilities are suspended or resumed due to business difficulties or large-scale construction, the relevant matter must be reported to the fire station at least 14 days in advance.

The fire service also explained that, except when a hazardous materials safety manager is performing duties, safety measures such as hazardous materials removal and access control must be implemented, and failure to comply with orders to implement safety measures may result in sanctions such as suspension of operations or revocation of permits.

The Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters plans to draft a letter containing this information and send it to approximately 11,987 hazardous materials facilities in the province, including underground and mobile tanks and gas stations subject to regular inspections.

Officials from the Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters stated, "Managers of hazardous materials facilities should thoroughly understand the revised provisions of the Hazardous Materials Safety Management Act, which take effect on the 21st, to avoid disadvantages," and "Please pay attention to safe handling and management of hazardous materials to ensure accident-free workplaces."