The Ministry of Employment and Labor has made it mandatory, starting this month, to use welding fire blankets that have received performance certification when conducting hot work such as welding or gas cutting. This measure is intended to prevent workplace fires caused by flying sparks and spatter generated during hot work processes.
On March 1, the Ministry announced that it will enforce the revised provisions of the "Regulations on Industrial Safety and Health Standards," which require the use of certified welding fire blankets, effective from March 2. The revised regulation, which was promulgated on September 1 of last year, comes into force after a six-month grace period.
According to the revised regulation, workplaces performing hot work such as welding or gas cutting must use fire blankets that meet the "Technical Standards for Fire Blanket Performance Certification and Product Inspection" as announced by the Commissioner of the National Fire Agency, in order to prevent the scattering of sparks and spatter.
Since 2020, the government has been pursuing institutional improvements in response to a series of accidents involving injuries and fatalities caused by fires during hot work. With this measure, it is expected that fire prevention safety measures at workplaces will be further strengthened.
Meanwhile, in addition to welding fire blankets, measures to prevent the scattering of spatter during hot work can also be implemented by using materials with properties that prevent penetration by metal spatter. Small businesses and similar workplaces can receive partial financial support for purchasing welding fire blankets through the "Safe Workplace Support Program." Applications for this support can be submitted via the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency's Industrial Safety Portal.
Oh Youngmin, Director General of the Office of Occupational Safety and Health Supervision at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, stated, "Workplaces must strictly comply with fire prevention safety rules, including measures to prevent the scattering of sparks and spatter during hot work," and urged, "As the risk of fire has recently increased due to dry weather and strong winds, please make even greater efforts to prevent workplace fires."
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