In order to create a safe working and usage environment for 3D printing, the government has decided to conduct regular surveys on utilization institutions every year.
The government jointly prepared measures to strengthen the safety of 3D printing and announced them on the 8th. This measure is designed to create a working environment in which 3D printing users use equipment and materials with low emission of harmful substances in a safe way.
According to the government, 3D printing poses health risks if fine particles and volatile organic compounds (VOC) are released during the process of applying high heat to materials (filaments), and 3D printing is carried out without sufficient safety measures.
In fact, according to a number of domestic and foreign literature, there are a total of 90 types of VODs, including styrene (ABS), lactated (PLA), and caprolactam (nylon), etc.
Considering this situation, the government has been pushing for safety measures such as mandatory ▲ 3D printing safety education ▲ actual investigation and work environment improvement consulting ▲ safety technology R&D ▲ mandatory display of precautions on public procurement 3D printing equipment.
However, there are still many areas where safety management at 3D printing sites will be improved, so it plans to establish strengthened safety measures this time to systematically implement and manage them. The following summarizes the main contents of the government’s measures to strengthen safety.
◇ Safety inspection every year through a fact-finding survey…Recommendation to refrain from using insufficient institutions
First of all, the government decided to conduct an annual survey so that 3D printing safety work and usage culture can be settled on the site. It plans to conduct safety inspections on institutions using 3D printing, and institutions with insufficient safety refrain from using it.
For example, in the case of schools, if insufficient is detected in the 3D printing laboratory, the safety environment will be improved, and apps that collect and manage 3D printing usage information will also be developed and distributed to check the safety usage status of teachers in charge.
The safety guidelines for 3D printing will also be revised. The guidelines plan to provide harmful substances that can be released during 3D printing and information on their human body effects.
In addition, a 3D printing safety center is installed at the Information and Communication Industry Promotion Agency to provide stable information and safety consulting to users. The 3D Printing Support Center (Mapo 3D-FAB) will be used as an exemplary model for the safety environment.
◇ Expansion of materials and equipment that emit less harmful substances
It will also revise procurement standards for 3D printing materials. The purpose is to allow materials that have passed the test and verification of harmful substances released during 3D printing work to be used in schools and public institutions.
In particular, it is difficult to make the certification system mandatory as the causal relationship between 3D printing and certain diseases has not been proven yet, so it plans to induce similar effects by strengthening procurement standards and using materials registered by public institutions.
In addition, the government will provide guidelines for creating a safe 3D printing working environment, while revising the “Three-Dimensional Printing Industry Promotion Act” to strengthen the responsibilities of operators and others.
In addition, it plans to ensure a safe working environment when participating in R&D tasks and demonstration projects using 3D printing.
A government official said, “We will implement and inspect the plan so that there is no disruption by operating a joint public-private 3D printing safety response team with related ministries and safety experts to secure the safety of 3D printing users.”
Source: Safety Journal (http://www.anjunj.com)