KOSHA Industrial Safety and Health Research Institute Provides Automatic Analysis and Information on 48 Major Chemical Substances
Administrative Period Reduced from 1 Month to 1 Week ... Plans to Expand to 160 Substances Next Year
The Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency's Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute is analyzing chemical substances using the 'Chemical Substance Analysis Automation Program'.
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] A program that automatically analyzes chemical substances affecting workers' health has been developed.
The Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency's Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute (Director Ko Jae-cheol) announced on the 30th that it has developed the "Chemical Substance Analysis Automation Program (MAQ)" to quickly deliver information about chemical substances exposed in the work environment to the field.
The "Chemical Substance Analysis Automation Program" is a program that systematizes analysis information for 48 major substances. These 48 substances were selected based on frequently used chemicals at workplaces and the incidence rates of occupational diseases and acute poisoning accidents.
It provides analysis information on the types of chemical substances exposed at the work site, the level of exposure concentration compared to exposure standards, and the necessity of management.
With this program, developed over two years by the research institute, the administrative period required to notify workplaces of analysis results has been shortened from the existing 30 days to within 7 days.
Previously, since the analyst had to directly judge the harmfulness of chemical substances and whether they met the standards under the Occupational Safety and Health Act based on sample analysis results, a lot of time and effort were required.
The research institute plans to expand the target substances for analysis to about 160 by next year. It also plans to apply the program to the "Chemical Substance Exposure Information Notifier" project scheduled for next year.
The Chemical Substance Exposure Information Notifier is a project that allows workers to directly request and check their own chemical substance exposure levels with the agency.
Ko Jae-cheol, director of the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, evaluated, "Through the Chemical Substance Analysis Automation Program, human errors in chemical substance information used at the work site have been minimized, and timely information provision has made protecting workers' health much easier."
Director Ko said, "We will continue to expand the target substances and develop domestic sampling devices and preprocessing equipment."
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