• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.265-272
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• 2023

Objectives: Since the material safety data sheets(MSDS) submission and non-disclosure review system was introduced in January 2021, the implementation status of MSDS for chemical manufacturing and importing workplaces being supervised for the first time. Methods: A supervisory team consisting of two labor inspectors and one from the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency directly visited the selected workplaces to check compliance with the MSDS system as a whole. Results: As a result of supervising 214 chemical substance manufacturing/importing workplaces, a total of 241 violations of the law were found in 121 workplaces, or 57% of them. In response, the Ministry of Employment and Labor took legal action on 8 cases in 6 locations, imposed a fines totaling of 249.69 million won on 120 chemical handling workplaces, and took action to correct the violations immediately. Conclusions: Major violations were in the order of non-request for warning signs, non-submission of MSDS, non-execution of MSDS training, and non-posting of MSDS. This shows the reality that employers who handle chemical substances are sufficiently communicating chemical information to workers. In the future, the government will actively implement preparation and submission support and system guidance for the implementation of the MSDS system, while making efforts to ensure that the MSDS system works well in the field through thorough on-site supervision in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.365-374
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• 2023

Objectives: After the MSDS submission and non-disclosure review system was introduced in January 2021, there were compliance difficulties in the field. Accordingly, for the establishment of the MSDS system, the government intends to investigate what has been improved and what urgently needs to be improved in the future, and to suggest detailed improvement plans. Methods: The background and problems of urgent difficulties in the field handling chemicals were investigated, and realistic improvement plans were derived through review of other laws related to the MSDS system and overseas cases. Results: In order to guarantee the safety of the public while at the same time promoting corporate R&D, it is necessary to alleviate the non-disclosure screening system for chemical substances for R&D, and to improve the irrationality of failing to implement the non-disclosure screening system due to information on unclassified substances being circulated. For this reason, it seems necessary to ease the requirement to submit all ingredients. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen punishment to raise awareness so that health problems do not occur due to the harmfulness and danger of hidden substances among workers who handle chemical substances and downstream users due to false descriptions in MSDS. Conclusions: All members of our society, including chemical manufacturers/importers and handling companies, academia, civil society, and the government, each subject of chemicals, should take an interest in the entire process from production to disposal of chemicals and work together to prevent harm to the public.