Over 137 deaths in Lebanese explosion; our country to carry out special inspections and rectifications regarding the safe storage of hazardous chemicals

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At around 6 p.m. on August 4 local time in Lebanon, a major explosion occurred at the port in northern Beirut. To date, the accident has resulted in over 137 deaths and more than 5,000 injuries. Confirmed by Lebanese Prime Minister Diab, the cause of the accident was an explosion caused by more than 2,700 tons of *ao acid stored in the warehouse. Reports suggest that in 2014, a ship heading to Africa encountered problems, which necessitated the unloading of *ao acid an from the ship; this material was then unloaded in District 12 of Beirut Port. The media reported that Lebanese officials already knew that the *ao acid* was stored in the port. http://p9.itc.cn/images01/20200810/3935a0ea8e0344abbbebf20b1052247d.png http://p3.itc.cn/images01/20200810/a6ab0b90472c4ac98980bdcce0051e14.png According to Russia’s Sputnik news agency, Lebanon has placed all those in charge of the warehouse where the explosion occurred under house arrest. Learning from the lessons, our country launched a nationwide special inspection and rectification campaign regarding the safe storage of hazardous chemicals. To draw lessons from the explosion in Lebanon, on August 5, the Ministry of Emergency Management and the Office of the State Council’s Safety Committee held a national video conference on work safety. http://p5.itc.cn/images01/20200810/7466eff29b354a6899f85a5d3770d68c.png The meeting emphasized the need to launch immediate nationwide special inspections and rectifications regarding the safety of hazardous chemical storage. The rectification efforts will focus on ports, docks, chemical industrial parks, logistics warehouses, and other such locations. The transportation authorities and customs agencies at all levels will sequentially inspect all ports, warehouses, and docks involved in the handling of hazardous chemicals. Any violations such as inadequate safety conditions, excessive storage, or improper mixing of substances will be subject to legal penalties, and the relevant parties will be ordered to make the necessary corrections within a specified time frame. Environmental protection departments should carry out thorough inspections of hazardous waste safety and effectively implement safety prevention measures. Departments such as those in charge of industry and information technology, public security, and market regulation will organize efforts to investigate and punish acts of illegal production, storage, and use of civilian explosives and other related items. It is also necessary to implement systems for approving sales and purchase licenses as well as for registering information on the flow of goods. Emergency management departments in various regions should urge production and operating units in the chemical industry to implement measures such as cooling, ventilation, and keeping away from sources of fire during storage. It is strictly prohibited to store incompatible substances together, as well as to store them in excess or of different types. Chemical enterprises and factories must ensure that safety devices and facilities such as cooling sprayers, monitoring and alarm systems, and fire suppression systems are in good working condition. Our country is a major chemical producer, and the tragic accident in Lebanon once again serves as a warning to us. Chemical industry rectification efforts will continue, and they will become even stricter. Vivi advises the managers of chemical companies to strictly adhere to safety production standards and create a safe working environment. Workers in the chemical industry must keep in mind the precautions for safe production and transportation to protect their own lives.