【2025 Risk Assessment】Key Changes in GB 17681-2024 \"Technical Specifications for Safety Monitoring of Major Hazard Sources of Hazardous Chemicals\"

GB17681-2024, the Technical Specifications for Safety Monitoring of Major Hazard Sources of Hazardous Chemicals, came into effect on June 1, 2025, simultaneously repealing the previous 1999 version.

—The scope of application of the standards has been changed (see Chapter 1, Chapter 1 of the 1999 edition); — Basic requirements have been added (see Chapter 5); — General design requirements have been added (see 6.1); — Requirements for monitoring production units have been added (see 6.2); — Requirements for monitoring storage units have been added (see 6.3); — Requirements for instrument automation control have been changed (see 6.4, Chapter 5 of the 1999 edition); — Requirements for television monitoring systems have been added (see 6.5); — Requirements for lightning and static electricity protection have been added (see 6.6); — Construction requirements have been added (see Chapter 7); — Requirements for cable laying have been removed (see Chapter 7 of the 1999 edition); — Requirements for acceptance sampling inspections have been changed (see 8.12, 8.13, 8.14, 8.4.5 of the 1999 edition); — Requirements for operation, inspection, and maintenance have been added (see Chapter 9); — Requirements for alarm management and optimization have been added (see Chapter 10).

The \"Technical Specifications for Safety Monitoring of Major Hazard Sources of Hazardous Chemicals\" (GB17681-2024) replaces GB17681-1999, the \"Technical Requirements for the Acceptance of Safety Monitoring and Early Warning Systems for Flammable and Explosive Tank Areas\". The document specifies the technical requirements regarding basic safety monitoring requirements, design requirements, construction requirements, quality acceptance, operation and maintenance, as well as alarm management and optimization for major hazard sources of hazardous chemicals.  

The scope of application in the new standard has been changed from \"flammable and explosive tank areas storing gaseous or liquid media\" to the monitoring requirements for \"major hazard sources in new, renovated, or expanded hazardous chemical construction projects carried out by enterprises that produce or handle hazardous chemicals.\" At the same time, the scope where the standard does not apply was clarified.

This document is applicable to the safety monitoring of major hazard sources in new construction, renovation, and expansion projects involving hazardous chemicals by enterprises that produce and operate such chemicals, as well as by chemical enterprises that use hazardous chemicals in their production processes. This document does not apply to major hazard sources of hazardous chemicals in the following situations: a) urban gas ； b) Underground water-sealed vaults, underground gas storage facilities ； c) Interim storage and depots for the off-site transportation of hazardous chemicals (including transportation methods such as rail, road, waterway, air, and pipelines) ； d) Storage and handling of hazardous chemicals within the port area ； e) Hazardous chemicals used in defense research and production.

The new standard defines a total of 8 terms and definitions, including major hazard sources for hazardous chemicals, safety monitoring systems for such major hazard sources, lightning warning systems, basic process control systems, gas detection and alarm systems, liquefied gases, final actuators, and safety interlocks. Of these, particular attention should be paid to liquefied gases； The definition of “liquefied gases” is based on the provisions outlined in Order No. 40 issued by the former State Administration of Work Safety under the Interim Provisions on the Supervision and Management of Major Hazard Sources of Hazardous Chemicals. Referring to the term definition for liquefied hydrocarbons in the current GB 50160 Code for Fire Protection Design of Petrochemical Enterprises, it is further specified that in addition to traditional liquefied hydrocarbons, liquids such as liquid ammonia, liquid chlorine, liquid hydrogen, and liquid oxygen also fall under the category of “liquefied gases” as mentioned in clause 6.4.2.1 of this standard.

Liquefied gas refers to hydrocarbon liquids with a vapor pressure greater than 0.1 MPa at 15°C, as well as other similar liquids such as liquid ammonia, liquid chlorine, liquid hydrogen, and liquid oxygen.