Japan’s government is relaxing deadlines for some legally required annual inspections to help limit the spread of coronavirus Covid-19. However, it is urging plant operators to be extra vigilant in their inspection and maintenance activities.
Companies must conduct daily inspections for leaks and ensure that emergency procedures are in place in the event of an accident.
Many local fire services have paused their annual inspections of facilities storing hazardous substances under the Fire Service Act. This mandates annual leak inspections of certain sizes of storage tanks used to hold a range of flammable or oxidising substances.
And the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Meti) recently extended the deadline for safety inspections required under the High Pressure Gas Safety Law. This mandates annual security and voluntary inspections of certain plant refrigeration equipment. Any manufacturers with inspection deadlines falling between 10 April and 30 September will be allowed to reschedule for up to four months from their original deadline.
The Japan Chemical Industry Association (JCIA) has highlighted worker safety and inspection delays resulting from social distancing measures as ongoing concerns for the chemical industry emerging from lockdown.
A state of emergency – first declared from 7 April to 6 May and now provisionally extended to the end of May for some prefectures – has seen many Japanese government and company workers shift to homeworking.
Acknowledging that remote work is not an option for chemical facility operators, the JCIA told Chemical Watch: "The most important issue at the moment is to maintain safe operation of factories and a steady supply of products … JCIA and our members are making all possible efforts to prevent the spread of infection based on the Japan Business Federation guidelines."
These guidelines advise on health monitoring, workplace hygiene and social distancing measures relevant to all businesses.
Limited effect on regulators
Ministries responsible for Japan’s chemical regulations have continued their work remotely, while several scheduled changes to the Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL) and Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) have gone ahead without delay.
At the peak of the crisis in late April, a worker at Meti said "the operations of the CSCL and PRTR have not been affected by the outbreak of Covid-19".
This means that companies can continue to follow the current schedule for notifying their import or manufacture of small amounts of chemical substances. However, the ministry issued a notice on 12 May that companies that would normally notify substances in-person between 3-7 June must now mail them between 1-4 June.