Safety technical specifications for work in confined spaces to be implemented in May

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According to reports from Sinochem New Network, on April 22, reporters learned at a press conference held by the Ministry of Emergency Management that the \"Technical Specifications for Safety in Confined Space Operations\" will come into effect officially on May 1. Yu Dexuan, an inspector for work safety at the Ministry of Emergency Management, explained that the \"Technical Specifications for Safety in Confined Space Operations\" is a mandatory standard. It stipulates that, aside from operations in confined spaces in hazardous chemical manufacturing enterprises, businesses that store hazardous chemicals, chemical and pharmaceutical companies, as well as on ships, this standard applies to confined space operations and their safety management in all other industries as well. Yu Dexuan explained that, as a fundamental and comprehensive technical standard, its scope of application covers almost the entire industry, effectively addressing the significant issue of the lack of clear safety technical requirements for work in confined spaces across most industrial sectors, thereby enabling coordinated management across all areas. At the same time, this standard provides a clear technical basis for regulatory authorities to carry out supervision and law enforcement as well as to identify potential risks, addressing the issue of inconsistent standards and thereby making supervision and law enforcement more stringent and precise. This standard also provides unified technical specifications for the safety management of work in confined spaces by production and business units, enabling them to follow established guidelines and standards in order to better prevent accidents such as poisoning and suffocation. In addition, this standard comprehensively regulates the procedures for working in confined spaces, setting clear and specific requirements for key aspects such as risk assessment prior to the operation, approval processes, safety briefings, ventilation checks, and personal protective equipment. It also covers real-time gas monitoring during the operation, continuous ventilation, safety supervision, handling of abnormal situations, and safety inspections after the operation. By standardizing these entire processes, it aims to ensure the life, health, and safety of workers. It is reported that this standard consists of 8 chapters, which strengthen the daily management of work in confined spaces from four aspects: people, machinery, environment, and management. Regarding personnel, the responsibilities of operators, task supervisors, guardians, and task approvers have been defined ； Regarding equipment and facilities, it is stipulated that the operating units must be equipped with safety protection devices and emergency rescue equipment for working in confined spaces, as well as maintain a record-keeping system for such equipment ； Regarding the operating environment, the requirements for it have been specified in more detail; for instance, the oxygen content must not be lower than 19.5% nor higher than 23.5% ； In terms of management, clear requirements are set for management systems, safety training, emergency plans, and subcontracted work.