Analysis of Typical Accident Cases Involving Special Equipment

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Brief description of the “2·7” boiler accident in Binyang, Guangxi: At 11:30 on February 7, 2018, an explosion occurred in a boiler at a certain fragrance manufacturing company in Dajia Town, Binyang County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; no injuries were reported as a result of the accident. At the time of the incident, a pressure steam boiler belonging to the company experienced a sudden explosion during operation; the entire boiler was blown out of the factory area by the force of the gas flow. The boiler operator on duty was not present at the site, and the accident resulted in no injuries. Cause of the accident: The direct cause of the accident: According to the technical analysis report on the boiler explosion issued by the Autonomous Region Special Equipment Inspection Institute, the direct cause of the boiler explosion was the thinning of the furnace wall thickness (at its thinnest point, it decreased from 12 mm to 2 mm). Under operating pressure, the furnace wall could no longer withstand the pressure, leading to the explosion and subsequent accident. Main cause of the accident: Improper use of boilers that do not meet requirements. Nature of the accident: This was a serious accident involving special equipment, caused by the using unit’s failure to implement proper safety management systems for boiler operation, inadequate maintenance of the boilers, failure to eliminate potential safety hazards, and illegal use of the boilers.