Korea Environment Corporation expands hazardous chemical safety training nationwide

The Korea Environment Corporation announced Tuesday it is expanding its hazardous chemical safety training program nationwide to strengthen chemical accident response capabilities at workplaces and close gaps in safety management.

Hazardous chemical safety training is a legally mandated course that workers and safety officers at facilities handling hazardous chemicals must complete under the Chemical Substances Control Act.

The corporation was designated in 2025 as the first public institution authorized to provide such training. Since then, it has offered what it calls "effectiveness-focused education" that immediately incorporates the latest regulatory developments and real accident cases.

To improve accessibility for businesses and accommodate varying on-site conditions, the corporation has operated dedicated training centers at three regional hubs — Seoul, Daegu and Gwangju — since last year.

In-house specialists with backgrounds at the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy teach complex regulatory frameworks — including the Chemical Substances Control Act and the Act on Registration and Evaluation of Chemical Substances — in a way tailored to the practical needs of workers, meaningfully reducing the compliance burden on businesses.

For companies in remote locations or those requiring group sessions, the corporation is also expanding an on-site visiting education service. Instructors design customized training around each company's specific work environment and the actual chemicals it handles, maximizing practical effectiveness.

Since August 2025, the corporation has also been running a special safety education package for small and micro enterprises with weak safety management capacity, combining training with technical support.

The package is a one-stop tailored program that provides facility diagnostics, chemical inventory development and accident-prevention consulting based on advance analysis of each site's chemical handling status and on-site inspections. It also offers industry-specific curricula for sectors such as plant operations, shipbuilding and steel.

"Chemical accident prevention starts with workers on the ground knowing and following safety rules precisely," said Shin Ji-su, president of the Korea Environment Corporation. "We will keep expanding our regulatory guidance and tailored education, prioritizing public safety, so that we can serve as a tight public safety net that reaches even the most vulnerable areas without gaps."