Laying a firm ground for zero accidents

KOSHA opens Major Accidents Prevention Department

KOSHA celebrated the opening of the Major Accidents Prevention Department on Jan. 25.

The nation-wide demand for such a department that prevents and responds major accidents has increased since recent hydrogen fluoride leaks affected the country, making KOSHA decide to establish the team to deal with serious accidents within the headquarters.

Roles for the newly-opened department include: evaluation and check of the process safety report and comprehensive assessment of the chemical plant’s safety; helping settle down process safety management through trainings at the vulnerable factory in terms of chemical management; giving assistance to investigate causes of chemical accidents; preventing chemical accidents by arranging and running the crisis response manual; development and dissemination of the OSH technology guidelines and implementing projects for strengthening fundamental of chemical accidents’ prevention by encouraging chemical factories to use the leadership for prevention.

In accordance with these tasks, KOSHA builds the information system on work places with which they deal with hazardous chemical materials, and expands the subject materials and work places of the PSM (Process Safety Management) as part of its efforts to improve the PSM.

Meanwhile, KOSHA arranges the crisis responding manual and runs the committee to meet the accidents in a systemic manner. To improve its professional competence for preventing chemical accidents, KOSHA also sets a new training plan by grades of the hazards, and conducts researches on serious accident cases overseas.

A person concerned from KOSHA said that new movement of the agency will help make the zero accident a reality as it put prevention and quick response of major accidents on a priority.