The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) said on Dec. 26 that it has come up with a "comprehensive measure for hydrogen safety management" that can encompass both before and after the law's implementation ahead of the enactment of the "hydrogen law" currently pending in the National Assembly.
To that end, the government plans to set up an organization dedicated to hydrogen safety management at the Korea Gas Safety Corp. (KGS) and establish a safety management system for the hydrogen industry's entire cycle, including production, transportation, storage and utilization.
It has also announced plans to focus on three key facilities: hydrogen charging stations, hydrogen production bases and fuel cell facilities.
The ministry earlier decided to set up a safety management system for low-pressure hydrogen management through the enactment of the "hydrogen law."
The gas safety corporation will have an organization dedicated to hydrogen safety management. Here, the government will push for integrated safety management of various hydrogen products and facilities, training related personnel, technology development and establishment of demonstration infrastructure.
The KGS will have an organization dedicated to hydrogen safety management. Here, the government will push for integrated safety management of various hydrogen products and facilities, training related personnel, technology development and establishment of demonstration infrastructure.
The safety management system for the government's R&D tasks will be implemented. The ministry conducted a special inspection of all hydrogen facilities, including R&D facilities, and completed safety-compensation measures after the Gangneung Science Complex accident in May this year.
From now on, safety management plans, including designation of safety officers, safety costs and safety inspections, should be established from the stage of R&D planning. If classified as nonconforming tasks through inspections by safety experts, research can be suspended. It is also required to receive follow-up care for five years after the completion of the research.
Majority management will also be carried out for key facilities in the hydrogen industry. In the case of hydrogen charging stations, the KGS and experts plan to conduct a safety assessment considering the location conditions during the construction phase and disclose the safety measures accordingly to the residents.
In the future, regular inspections of hydrogen charging stations will be replaced by precision safety diagnosis using high-tech equipment. Operators and KGS will establish dual monitoring system and the construction and maintenance manual of charging station standard will also be produced.
The government has also decided to enhance safety management of charging stations by fostering hydrogen-specialized companies and gradually expand safety certification of high-pressure valves that affect hydrogen leaks at charging stations to compressors and dispensers.
