● SK chemicals Vaccine Factory "L House" in Andong Earns Globally Recognized Safety/Health Certifications

- OHSAS18001, KOSHA18001 certifications awarded in recognition of the factory`s world-class safety management system
- Establishment of a proactive system based on global standards for promotion of exports



The vaccine factory of SK chemicals (President Park Man-hun) has recently been awarded multiple domestic and overseas safety/health certifications, reflecting the company’s reputation for a safety management system that meets global standards.

SK chemicals announced on Dec. 14 that its state-of-the-art vaccine factory "L House" located in Andong has succeeded in earning certifications of OHSAS18001 and KOSHA18001, internationally accepted standards for assessing safety and health management systems.

OHSAS (Occupational Health & Safety Assessment Series) 18001 is an international standard for safety and health activities enacted by the British Standards Institute in 1999. It requires that corporations autonomously conduct activities aimed at identifying and continuously manage risk factors to prevent industrial accidents. Certification is awarded through a rigorous screening process implemented by professional certification bodies. All leading global pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer and Novartis have obtained the certification.

KOSHA (Korea Occupational Safety Health Agency) 18001 is a standard for evaluating the capacity to efficiently allocate and systematically manage resources within an enterprise to prevent industrial accidents and maintain an optimal work environment. Its certification is awarded by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency.

Both OHSAS18001 and KOSHA18001 are presented to manufacturing process facilities that have established a safety/health management system that can compete squarely at international levels while improving productivity and product quality and preventing disasters.

Each certification is based on the assessment of 39 items including the safety/health management system and safety/health levels. The evaluation process involves status confirmation, examination and interviews. The L House received the final approval for both certifications after six months of assessment by the certifying organizations.

The certifications have been awarded to SK chemicals in recognition of its establishment of the SHE management system designed to ensure safety and prepare for environmental accidents. SHE is an acronym formed from the initial letters of safety, health and environment. SHE is SK Group`s management system that focuses on company-wide responses based on its operational manual.

Assessing the significance of the latest certifications, SK chemicals said that it is now equipped with safety and health standards for production facilities as required by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and global NGOs in relation to the export of vaccines.

"The L House has improved the productivity and quality of vaccines by establishing a safe working environment," said Lee Hong-kyun, who heads the SK chemicals vaccine factory. "Internally, these certifications have helped enhance the employees` safety and health awareness. Externally, they have contributed to securing the confidence of relevant organizations at home and abroad."

The L-house, completed in 2012, boasts world-class facilities and scale. L House has the capacity to produce next-generation vaccines, including a cell culture flu vaccine, with its advanced base technologies and production facilities that are suitable for such activities as △ cell culture △ bacterial culture △ gene recombination, and △ protein conjugation vaccine production. The company has a state-of-the-art aseptic production system on a land area of 63,000 sq. meters. In 2013, the company earned the gold status of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a U.S. green building certification program—a first in the global pharmaceutical industry.



[Photo]
Lee Hong-kyun (right), SK chemicals` L House vaccine factory manager, is presented with the "KOSHA18001" certificate awarded in recognition of the factory`s superb health/safety management system.