The government will conduct emergency on-site guidance to ensure safety regulations regarding chemical substances are being fulfilled by the nation's battery manufacturers.

The labor ministry announced Thursday that industrial safety and health inspectors from regional labor offices across the country are set to visit more than 100 selected business sites as a step to prevent a recurrence of fires like the one that engulfed a Hwaseong battery plant earlier this week.

The inspectors plan to check whether workers have received adequate education on chemical materials and safe handling, safe storage and management of lithium to ensure it does not come into contact with water, firearms or ignition sources, as well as proper fire evacuation training.

Related ministries are also expected to conduct similar joint inspections next month.
 
Earlier, the labor ministry required over 500 battery producing businesses to carry out emergency self-inspections in line with a safety regulation checklist.