In the first half of this year, a total of 62 chemical accidents occurred nationwide, and several typical cases have been made public.

According to the Ministry of Emergency Management, in the first half of this year, China recorded 62 chemical‑industry accidents resulting in 81 fatalities—down 22.5% and 12%, respectively, from the same period last year (80 incidents and 92 deaths). However, six major accidents occurred, three more than in both the same period last year and 2019. On August 19, the Ministry released a set of typical cases of chemical‑industry and hazardous‑chemical production safety incidents that have taken place since 2021.

Henan Shunda New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. “January 14” Poisoning Accident

At approximately 4:20 p.m. on January 14, 2021, Henan Shunda New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., located in the Zhumadian High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, experienced a suffocation accident while performing a protective agent removal operation on Hydrolysis Protective Agent Tank No. 1. The incident resulted in four fatalities and three injuries, with direct economic losses estimated at approximately RMB 10.1 million. The immediate cause of the accident was non-compliant work practices by the operators, which led to oxygen deficiency and subsequent fainting due to asphyxiation. Insufficient rescue capabilities among on-site personnel and disorganized command further exacerbated the situation, leading to the escalation of the accident.

Key lessons learned: Henan Shunda New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. failed to adequately identify safety risks and did not explicitly address the asphyxiation hazard posed by high‑concentration nitrogen; its safety‑technical review was lax, failing to isolate confined spaces from hazardous chemical pipelines; on‑site management was inadequate, with no measures in place to secure positive‑pressure respirators worn by workers in confined spaces; insufficient safety investment resulted in the failure to equip the purification workshop with compact, portable positive‑pressure respirators suitable for tank‑entry operations; and emergency response drills lacked specificity, with no exercises conducted to test procedures for preventing poisoning in specialized confined spaces. Furthermore, its shareholder, Haohua Junhua Group Co., Ltd., failed to implement the production‑safety responsibility system, neglecting its oversight and inspection duties regarding the safety‑technical measures for high‑risk operations at its subsidiaries.

Hubei Xianlong Chemical Co., Ltd. “February 26” Explosion Accident

At approximately 4:19 p.m. on February 26, 2021, during the resumption of production at Hubei Xianlong Chemical Co., Ltd., an explosion occurred during the illegal manufacture of methyl sulfide, resulting in four fatalities and four injuries. Preliminary analysis indicates that the primary cause was the company’s distillation and purification of methyl sulfide: when replacing the agitator motor reducer, the material inside the distillation kettle was not cooled, causing the methyl sulfide to heat up and undergo a violent decomposition‑induced explosion.

Key lessons learned: Xianlong Chemical Co., Ltd. demonstrated a weak awareness of the law, and its principal responsible persons lacked expertise in the chemical industry. Without undergoing the required changes, design modifications, or obtaining the necessary permits, the company illegally organized the production of methyl sulfide under the guise of lawful manufacturing—its license authorized only the production of ethyl chloride. Furthermore, frontline workers exhibited low educational levels and a lack of safety awareness as well as insufficient capabilities in risk identification and control.

Jilin Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd. “February 27” Poisoning Incident

At approximately 11:10 p.m. on February 27, 2021, a serious poisoning incident occurred at Jilin Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd., resulting in five fatalities and eight injuries, with direct economic losses estimated at about RMB 8.29 million. The immediate cause of the accident was that several exhaust fans in Workshop No. 8 for filament production lost power and ceased operation, preventing the hydrogen sulfide gas released from the acid solution in the high-level acid tank on the third floor from being vented through the exhaust ductwork. Consequently, hydrogen sulfide escaped from the open top of the high-level tank and spread into the stairwell. Within the stairwell, hydrogen sulfide accumulated to lethal concentrations. While en route to his workstation on the third floor via the stairwell, the shift supervisor of the new dope‑spinning workshop inhaled hydrogen sulfide and suffered poisoning; during efforts to rescue him, multiple others were also poisoned, thereby exacerbating the severity of the accident.

Key lessons learned: Jilin Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd. lacked critical safety equipment, including a fixed toxic‑gas detection system, an emergency ventilation system, a plant‑wide DCS distributed automatic control system, and dual‑circuit power supply. Risk identification and management were inadequate; the potential for hydrogen sulfide poisoning on the third floor of the eight‑spinning acid station was not identified. Emergency response was ineffective: no on‑site emergency plan was developed, and essential emergency equipment and other control measures were not provided. Moreover, personnel demonstrated weak safety awareness, and safety education and training were conducted in a perfunctory manner.

Heilongjiang Kailunda Technology Co., Ltd. “April 21” Poisoning Accident

At 13:43 on April 21, 2021, a poisoning and asphyxiation accident occurred at Heilongjiang Kailunda Technology Co., Ltd. in Anda City, Suihua, resulting in four fatalities and nine cases of poisoning and injury, with direct economic losses estimated at approximately RMB 8.73 million. The incident took place during the shutdown and maintenance of the gasification kettle in the gasification section of Workshop No. 3. Preliminary analysis indicates that, during the four-month production halt, the gaseous materials inside the gasification kettle were neither removed, isolated, nor purged. Consequently, a high-concentration mixture of carbon oxysulfide and hydrogen sulfide accumulated at the bottom of the vessel. Without implementing any protective measures, maintenance personnel entered the lower section of the gasification kettle to carry out work, inhaling toxic gases and suffering poisoning and asphyxiation. During the rescue operation, rescuers repeatedly leaned into the vessel, shouted, and attempted to drag victims out without proper protective gear, leading to varying degrees of poisoning and injury among nine individuals at the scene.

Key lessons learned: Karen Da Technology Co., Ltd. demonstrated a lack of legal awareness and weak safety consciousness, failed to fulfill its primary responsibility for workplace safety, and conducted confined-space work in violation of regulations. Risk identification and hazard inspection and remediation were inadequate; the company did not recognize the risk of poisoning and asphyxiation associated with maintenance on the gas‑producing reactor. Its safety management system was incomplete, lacking provisions for shutdown operations and failing to clearly define procedures for discharging and purging materials from the reactor. Worker training was insufficient, with no specialized safety training provided for hazardous operations. Emergency response capabilities were inadequate, and the company did not equip itself with sufficient emergency rescue supplies or personal protective equipment. Furthermore, the company commenced construction without obtaining the legally required construction permit, highlighting a serious issue of building before approval.

Hebei Dingrui Petrochemical Co., Ltd. “May 31” Fire Accident

At 14:28 on May 31, 2021, a fire broke out at Dingrui Petrochemical Co., Ltd., located in the Dongxing Industrial Zone of the Nangang Industrial Park in the Bohai New Area of Cangzhou City. The direct economic loss was approximately RMB 38.72 million, and no casualties were reported. Preliminary analysis indicates that the primary cause of the accident was illegal storage by Dingrui Petrochemical Co., Ltd. Combined with unauthorized hot work conducted without installing flame arrestors or shut-off valves on the vapor‑recovery pipeline, this led to a flash explosion of flammable gases inside the pipeline and above the tank, which subsequently ignited the diluted asphalt contained within the tank.

Key lessons learned: Dingrui Petrochemical Co., Ltd. demonstrated a weak awareness of legal compliance by putting its storage tanks into operation without prior acceptance inspection and illegally storing diluted bitumen. Furthermore, the company failed to conduct a hazard identification prior to hot‑work operations, did not develop or implement appropriate safety measures for such operations, and improperly authorized unqualified personnel to perform hot‑work.

The chemical industry occupies a pivotal position in the national economy, serving as both a pillar and a foundational sector. Chemical production processes are complex, involving hazardous chemicals that are flammable, explosive, and toxic; when accidents occur, they can be highly destructive and have far-reaching social repercussions. Ensuring the safety of hazardous chemicals is of paramount importance in workplace safety efforts. Preventing and mitigating major safety risks associated with hazardous chemicals, and resolutely curbing serious and extremely serious accidents, are critical to safeguarding long-term social stability and protecting the lives and property of the people, underscoring their outstanding significance and profound implications.

The Ministry of Emergency Management has emphasized that, during the summer, high temperatures and humidity, coupled with frequent extreme weather events such as thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and strong winds, pose significant risks to workplace safety. All regions, departments, and enterprises are required to ensure accountability at every level and take robust measures to prevent accidents in the hazardous chemicals sector.

Source: Mass Network