- Date:2018-03-08
- Department:Chief Secretary Office
The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) announced its revised Guidelines for Toxic Chemical Response Instruments and Management of Toxic Chemical Detection and Warning Equipment, requiring that companies working with toxic chemicals effectively implement safety protection and on-site toxic chemical hazard warning measures. In addition to adding detailed response equipment standards, the Guidelines also require including warning equipment-related detection settings, automatic recording, data storage, and regular maintenance within the regulations. Such practices will help companies working with toxic chemicals to engage in self-management and lower the risk of accidents.
The EPA indicates that the purpose of these latest revisions include adding terminological definitions to clarify questions and concerns regarding laws and regulations applicable to companies working with toxic chemicals; demanding that said companies provide personal protective equipment to people exposed to hazards; and requiring such companies to employ safety and leakage handling systems for the acutely toxic gases hydrogen cyanide and fluorine comparable to those used for chlorine gas. In addition, companies working with toxic chemicals should adopt detection and warning systems that are able to store concentration data and perform automatic recording as well as regular maintenance and testing, to ensure immediate warning and responses when accidents occur. To assure the accuracy of company information, the installation and operation manuals for response, detection, and warning equipment are to be reviewed and updated once every two years. Furthermore, factories' external pipelines are to be managed and flow settings and pressure equipment are to be regulated to effectively control pipeline leakage situations.
The EPA indicated that the newly revised laws and regulations shall be given a one-year buffer period from date of announcement to allow related adjustments to be made, and that the amended regulations will officially come into effect in March 2019. After the announcement, the EPA will initiate relevant explanation and promotion. The EPA urges companies working with toxic chemicals to implement preventive measures and effectively reduce losses when disasters occur; to comply with related laws and regulations; and to submit information on installation and operation manuals for response, detection, and warning equipment, as per actual implementation.
For materials related to these announced revisions, please download the file from EPA News (https://enews.moenv.gov.tw/enews/fact_index.asp), or from the Executive Yuan Gazette Online (website: https://gazette.nat.gov.tw/egFront/indexEng.do).
