South Korea’s Ministry of Environment and National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) have released a draft regulation revising the “Detailed Handling Standards for Hazardous Chemicals.” The update aims to better align with amendments to the Chemical Substances Control Act (CCA) and K-REACH by adopting a hazard-specific approach rather than uniform safety rules.
Key Objectives
• Separate General Handling Standards from Substance-Specific Standards
• Introduce Essential Safety Rules based on hazard classification
• Provide Recommended Practices for safer chemical handling
General Handling Requirements (Article 3 Highlights)
• Review safety documents before use
• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Ban eating/smoking near hazardous chemicals
• Implement spill prevention
• Notify promptly in emergencies
• Dispose of chemical waste per legal standards
• Employers must provide immediate medical aid in exposure cases
Annex I: Substance-Specific Guidelines
• Hazard identification for each chemical
• Customized handling and prevention strategies tailored to chemical types
Updates to Hazardous Chemicals List
• Revised hazard classifications
• Clearer handling conditions and descriptions
Consultation & Next Steps
• Public consultation open until July 7, 2025
• Stakeholders encouraged to submit feedback via the National Legislative Center portal
Industry Implications
• Shift from uniform rules to hazard-based controls
• Clearer employer and handler responsibilities
• Tailored guidance for specific chemicals
• Opportunity for stakeholders to influence the final rules
Industries should start assessing current chemical safety procedures and prepare for alignment with these anticipated regulatory changes.
Reach out to our regulation experts on chemical and product regulatory compliances