The Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched working groups to conduct both overt and covert inspections of chemical enterprises in seven provinces.

Recently, the Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched seven working groups to seven provinces—Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Shandong, and Sichuan—where chemical safety oversight is particularly demanding, to conduct both open inspections and unannounced visits. These efforts aim to thoroughly identify the most pressing safety issues and systemic vulnerabilities in the chemical industry.

　　According to a responsible official from the Ministry of Emergency Management, in order to draw profound lessons from recent accidents, this round of both open and undercover inspections will focus on chemical industrial parks and chemical enterprises, particularly those handling high-risk processes such as nitration reactions and vinyl chloride. The inspections will primarily assess the implementation of enterprises’ principal responsibility for workplace safety, the presence and on-duty status of key executives and management personnel, the enforcement of safety management systems and measures, the rectification of identified issues, and the risk control measures in place for major hazard sources.

　　The inspection team conducted unannounced, on-site visits to carry out “sparrow‑dissection”‑style checks of enterprises. At the same time, they fully leveraged the expertise of specialists, who joined them in field inspections. For any significant risks, hidden dangers, or pressing issues identified, the team maintained a zero‑tolerance stance and promptly issued lawful recommendations for corrective action on the spot.

　　At 1:11 a.m. on April 27, the working group conducted an unannounced inspection of on-duty arrangements at the Shandong Shanghe Economic Development Zone, located in Yuhuangmiao Town, Shanghe County, Jinan City, Shandong Province. They found that the duty‑on‑call leader listed in the day’s public notice was absent from his post. Furthermore, the on‑duty leader of the enterprise being inspected took nearly one hour to arrive—despite the fact that the site was only about five minutes’ drive away—resulting in a delayed emergency response.

　　At Sanlian Jinshan Chemical Co., Ltd. in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the inspection team conducted a surprise, closed-book exam on basic chemical safety knowledge. Three individuals, including the general manager, failed, resulting in a failure rate of 50%. Experts also found that the on-site alarm data for the vinyl chloride tank area was drifting, and that an alarm in the vinyl chloride compressor building was sounding without any personnel responding to address it.

　　Jiangsu Lanfeng Biochemical Co., Ltd. is a publicly listed company that has been in operation for more than 30 years. During an inspection, the working group found numerous issues, high risks, and inadequate implementation of control measures. In particular, the company’s phosgene leakage absorption and neutralization system lacks automated control. Accompanying experts pointed out that if this risk is not effectively managed, it could easily lead to a significant escalation of casualties and accidents.

　　To ensure that local governments and enterprises fulfill their responsibilities for rectification and to prompt all regions and relevant departments to remain vigilant and take concrete action, the working group promptly reported the findings of its unannounced inspections to the local authorities. Localities have attached great importance to these issues: regulatory agencies immediately imposed lawful penalties on the enterprises concerned, held talks with their principal executives, and ordered them to address identified hazards within a specified timeframe. In some cases, the working group’s findings have also been shared with other companies in the same industry, encouraging them to conduct self‑inspections and self‑corrections to eliminate production safety risks and effectively prevent and mitigate potential hazards.

　　 In addition, From May 1 to 2, Li Changxun, Deputy Director of the Henan Provincial Emergency Management Department, led a team to conduct unannounced inspections of emergency management and safety‑prevention efforts in Zhumadian City and Xinyang City.

　The undercover inspection team adopted a method of operating without prior notice, without any advance warning, without listening to reports, and without relying on escorts or reception staff—going straight to the grassroots level and directly to the scene.

　　Upon receiving the “May Day” on‑duty information brief from the Provincial Emergency Management Department, the undercover inspection team meticulously assessed safety conditions at each site, identified key issues, held candid discussions with principal officials, promptly reported findings, and put forward requirements and recommendations for corrective action.

　　Going forward, the undercover inspection team will closely monitor the implementation of corrective measures for identified issues, ensuring that the covert inspections are thorough in their findings, rigorous in their follow-up, and effective in delivering tangible results.

Source: Ministry of Emergency Management of the People’s Republic of China