1. Reasons for Amendment
The Amendment strengthens safety control of small establishments (Class-III) to reduce safety-related incidents caused by inadequate management.
2. Major Provisions
A. Introduce standards for compulsory designation of Class-III establishments (Article 5 (1) 2)
1) Under the current Act, a Class-III establishment is designated at the discretion of the management authority after conducting a survey of the relevant establishment. However, concerns have been raised over management blind spots as a management authority that lacks motivation or interest can lead to omissions or delays in the Class-III designation procedure.
2) Accordingly, the Amendment newly inserts standards on compulsory designation of small bridges and tunnels that are subject to the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and for which ten years have elapsed since construction was completed.
B. Prescribe compulsory higher-level safety inspection of vulnerable establishments (Article 8 (1) 2 amended)
1) Class-III establishments are currently only subject to compulsory periodic safety inspections (visual inspections), which limits early identification of structural defects. Safety measures are required only if a significant defect is identified upon inspection, but defects are often difficult to identify by visual inspection.
2) The Amendment prescribes a compulsory higher-level inspection (full safety inspection) of Class-III establishments whose visual inspection (periodic safety inspection) results in a vulnerable rating (D or E).
