The Ministry of Emergency Management has released the “14th Five-Year Plan” for the Safe Production of Hazardous Chemicals.

　　To thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on work safety, earnestly carry out the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to comprehensively strengthen work safety in the handling of hazardous chemicals, provide guidance for ensuring work safety related to hazardous chemicals, oil and gas, and fireworks and firecrackers during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, reinforce the prevention and control of major safety risks, effectively curb and prevent serious and extremely serious accidents, and comprehensively elevate the level of work safety, the Ministry of Emergency Management recently issued the “14th Five-Year Plan for Work Safety in the Handling of Hazardous Chemicals” (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”). The Plan sets forth the guiding principles, basic principles, key objectives, and specific measures for work safety in the handling of hazardous chemicals during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, and lays out a systematic plan and deployment for nationwide work safety in this field.
　　The Planning Outline notes that, since the start of the 13th Five-Year Plan period, thanks to the concerted efforts of all regions, relevant departments, and related entities, significant progress has been made in preventing and controlling safety risks associated with hazardous chemicals, and the goals and tasks set forth in the 13th Five-Year Plan have been largely accomplished. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China’s safe production of hazardous chemicals will remain at a critical juncture—characterized by steep challenges and difficult hurdles—facing both favorable conditions that support the continued steady improvement of the safety situation and severe challenges arising from the overlapping of old and emerging risks.
　　The Planning Scheme emphasizes that ensuring the safety and controlling risks associated with hazardous chemicals must remain a top priority in preventing and defusing major risks. It calls for the thorough implementation of the Guidelines issued by the General Offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on comprehensively strengthening workplace safety in the handling of hazardous chemicals, while upholding the principle of coordinating development with safety, putting the people and their lives first, and making the effective prevention of serious and extremely serious accidents the primary objective. By leveraging the three-year special campaign to enhance hazardous‑chemical safety as a key lever, the plan seeks to focus on critical areas, strengthen foundational capabilities, close regulatory gaps, and address weak links. Greater attention will be paid to building a robust safety governance system, enhancing intrinsic safety, and advancing the digital transformation of management practices. Through source‑level governance, addressing both symptoms and root causes, and adopting a systematic approach, the scheme aims to elevate the level of systematic, precise, and intelligent safety management, fundamentally eliminate potential hazards, and resolve underlying issues. Ultimately, it seeks to comprehensively promote the transformation and upgrading of the chemical industry, thereby providing strong support for implementing the new development philosophy, fostering a new development paradigm, advancing high‑quality development, and fully building a modern socialist country.
　　The Planning Scheme proposes that, with a focus on preventing systemic safety risks associated with hazardous chemicals, a combination of institutional and engineering measures should be implemented in a problem‑, goal‑, and outcome‑oriented manner, while rolling out a package of policy initiatives and construction projects. To establish a comprehensive governance system for the safety of hazardous chemicals, priority should be given to six key areas: the workplace safety responsibility system, the hazard identification and remediation system, the safety prevention and control system, the intrinsic safety development framework, the workforce training system, and the foundational support and assurance system. With an eye toward enhancing intrinsic safety, five major initiatives will be launched: upgrading safety standards in chemical industrial parks, strengthening safety prevention and control at large oil and gas storage facilities, carrying out enterprise‑level safety upgrades, building a robust safety‑training network, and advancing the “Industrial Internet Plus Safe Production of Hazardous Chemicals” program. Furthermore, targeted, differentiated measures will be strengthened to precisely manage safety risks across the chemical, pharmaceutical, hazardous‑chemical distribution, oil and gas, and fireworks industries. In addition, close coordination and support will be provided to relevant authorities to reinforce safety management throughout the disposal, transportation, and use phases of hazardous chemicals, thereby bolstering overall safety‑assurance capabilities.
　　The Planning Scheme stipulates that it is necessary to establish and improve implementation mechanisms, earnestly carry out key measures, strengthen diversified funding mechanisms, actively launch pilot and demonstration projects, and rigorously conduct planning evaluations, thereby ensuring thorough implementation and the timely achievement of the set objectives.

Source: Ministry of Emergency Management Author: Ministry of Emergency Management