According to a Jul 17th notice, from this Aug, the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) decided to roll out a yearlong workplace-safety program targeting enterprises involved in the manufacture and/or storage of industrial/hazardous chemicals or the manufacture of pharmaceuticals.
Work safety accidents are prone to occur where special work is carried out including hot work, entering confined spaces, blocking off pipelines with blind flanges, working at height, hoisting/lifting, using temporary power supplies, excavation, and projects requiring road blocking. 7 severe accidents related to special work have taken place in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries so far this year, bringing a death toll of 28.
Stakeholders are advised to attach great importance to the implementation of GB 30871-2014: Safety Code of Special Work in Chemical Manufactory, especially with regard to:
Safety management system of special work
Training of major responsible person, safety personnel, technical staff and other employees related to special work
Work license for operations including welding, thermal cutting, lifting, etc.
Emergency equipment and installations including flammable or toxic substance (gas) detector and alarm, oxygen concentration analysis equipment, firefighting equipment, lighting equipment, first-aid facilities, etc.
Allocation of sufficient and qualified personal protective equipment such as breathing apparatus
Risk identification and risk prevention and mitigation plan
Routine monitoring and analysis of work conditions before starting hot work or entering confined space
Administrative approvals before starting special work
Communication of the responsible safety personnel to operating personnel and supervisors
Designation of supervisors of the whole processes
Cleaning and restoring work areas and safety equipment and signature of responsible person for final acceptance check
Enhanced special work management schemes during holidays
Enterprises who fail to pass the inspection will be subject to heavy fines, production suspension and rectification, or revocation of safe production permit.
