Acute toxicity, skin sensitization and severe eye damage identified among hazards
Employers told to provide protective gear, install ventilation systems
Twenty-two of the 63 new chemical substances manufactured or imported in the third quarter of this year were found to pose hazards including acute toxicity and skin sensitization. The Ministry of Employment and Labor notified manufacturers and importers to take preventive measures — including providing personal protective equipment and installing ventilation systems — to protect workers handling the substances.
The ministry announced Wednesday the names, hazard and risk profiles, and recommended workplace precautions for the 63 new chemical substances registered in the third quarter of 2026. Among the substances disclosed, 22 — including 4-hydroxycinnamic acid and 2-hydroxy-3,5-diiodobenzoic acid — were confirmed to carry hazards such as acute toxicity, skin sensitization and severe eye damage, accounting for about 35 percent of all substances announced.
Workplaces were advised to ensure workers are not directly exposed to dust, mist or vapor generated during chemical handling by wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, including respiratory protection, protective gloves and safety goggles. Facilities where such substances are produced in large quantities were also told to install local exhaust ventilation systems.
Even for substances with no entries in the hazard and risk information field, the ministry provided basic precautionary measures against both short- and long-term exposure. The disclosed hazard classifications are based on toxicological data submitted and chemical information from domestic and international sources, and may be updated as new findings emerge from additional testing or research.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers intending to manufacture or import new chemical substances must in principle submit a hazard and risk investigation report to the ministry at least 30 days before the planned manufacturing or import date. If the volume is less than one metric ton, the deadline is 14 days in advance. Registering a new chemical substance with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment is treated as equivalent to submitting the investigation report.
The ministry and the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency review submitted reports and registration data to assess hazards and risks, then notify employers of measures to prevent health damage to workers. Regional offices of the ministry monitor and inspect compliance with those measures.
Oh Young-min, director general of the ministry's Occupational Safety and Health Inspection Bureau, said awareness of hazard and risk information for new chemical substances and proactive safety and health measures are essential to protecting workers' health. He urged employers to comply with preventive measures such as installing ventilation systems and supplying protective equipment, and called on workers to follow basic safety rules including wearing protective gear.
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