Hold an event to keep the alarm bells ringing and identify potential safety hazards around us!

The petrochemical industry is a highly dangerous profession, which requires operators and managers to have a high level of responsibility. Looking back at this incident at Lanhua, there were serious problems with the safety inspections of the equipment, the ultrasonic testing procedures, and the routine inspections carried out by the operators. There must have been some time between the leakage occurring and the explosion; a patrol at 5 p.m. surely would have noticed it, unless no patrol was conducted or an inspection was missed.

Life is the most precious, and a sense of safety responsibility and awareness are the strongest guarantees for it. I hope everyone will learn from the explosion accident at Lanhua Chemical, start with small things in their daily lives, and take greater responsibility for safety. Full support..........

This is indeed a lesson written in blood! Although the true cause is still unclear, there is definitely a human factor. Regarding the inspections mentioned on the first floor, I would like to say that I’ve heard from many people that in many factories, employees carry out inspections just for the sake of it – they go there merely to go through the formality, without actually checking anything. I believe everyone has seen things like this; I hope people will pay attention to it. “\"Safety first, prevention foremost\" – this is something we must keep in mind. Companies constantly talk about it, teach about it on a weekly basis, and emphasize it on a monthly basis. One after another, safety procedures are used up, and there are thick stacks of records related to safety training, but how much of all this actually serves a practical purpose? Man-made accidents still occur every year, and the issues surrounding this deserve consideration from all of us. A long dike can be breached by an ant hole! Caution coexists with safety; complacency leads to accidents. Life is only once for each of us, and happiness depends on safety; safety in turn brings us endless joy and happiness. Let us keep safety in mind, always using it as a guide for our actions, and remain bathed in the rays of happiness, enjoying the pleasures that come with safety and happiness, and thus reflecting the value of life.

It was a truly tragic accident. We have just returned from Lanhua Plant*. Towards the end of our visit there, we went to the tank area to learn more about it; a technician was there to give us explanations. We also visited the control room there, and I remember there was a female worker on duty at that time. It’s hard to believe that such a serious accident happened so soon after. I hope those skilled workers are safe… May this serve as a warning to everyone in our field – working in this industry is by no means something to take lightly

From this accident, we have learned something; the reasons and details are not the main focus here. Connecting this to my own work in the chlor-alkali industry, I would like to point out potential hazards: 1. There are many flammable and explosive gases, but since company leaders also enter the office building carrying cigarettes, no one pays attention to whether they are carrying cigarettes or not, nor to the risk of fires； 2. The pump is maintained without shutting off power; they say there’s a start button, and to save trouble they just keep the power on ； 3. Ignore the pits and holes, as well as the pre-existing openings in the factory area; just be careful where you walk ； 4. Rust on the guardrail platform is not a problem; it has not yet reached the point of collapse ； 5. Just fill out the work permit, regardless of whether the measures have been implemented or not. These are potential hazards around us that need to be addressed or prevented promptly.

The accident has been investigated: All 6 victims were employees of the company. Reporters learned from CNPC Lanzhou Petrochemical Company on the 11th that firefighting at the accident site has been completed, and the cause of the accident has been preliminarily identified. 　　At 17:30 on January 7, an explosion occurred in the 316 hydrocarbon tank area of Plant 303 at CNPC Lanzhou Petrochemical Company, followed by a fire. The explosion resulted in 6 deaths, 1 person seriously injured, and 5 people lightly injured. All the victims were company employees. 　　Lanzhou Petrochemical Company reported on the 11th that, following emergency rescue efforts, the ground fire caused by the explosion was brought under control at 2:10 p.m. on January 9; the incident has now been fully brought under control, and investigations and evidence collection at the accident site have commenced. 　　After several days of thorough investigation and evidence collection, it was initially determined that the cause of this accident was a sudden leak at the valve of a pyrolysis carbon tetra storage tank in Tank Area 316, which is under the jurisdiction of Lanzhou Petrochemical Company’s petrochemical plant. The concentration of flammable gases at the scene reached critical levels, resulting in an explosion while the operators on duty were attempting to carry out emergency measures. 　　At present, one severely injured employee is under active treatment and is no longer in critical condition. One of the 5 employees with minor injuries, whose condition was less severe, has been discharged, while the other 4 are in stable condition. 　　Looking at the cause of this accident, it seems that inadequate anti-freezing measures were in place. Moreover, in the event of a leak, if it’s a leak in the liquefied gas valves, the best approach is to inject water immediately; this can effectively prevent a large-scale release of flammable gases. There should generally be a procedure for injecting water, right?

The petrochemical industry must remain vigilant at all times, as all accidents stem from carelessness!

In winter, special attention should be paid to inspecting storage tanks. It is necessary to thoroughly check the safety accessories of these tanks – thermometers, pressure gauges, vent valves, nitrogen sealing systems, gauge holes, plate heating elements, static electricity grounding systems, and the overall structure of the tanks. Chemical enterprises must avoid formalism. Carefully implement each safety measure to carry out the work with confidence.

A relaxed mind and carelessness are the greatest hidden dangers, with immense power.

I think it’s not just a matter of whether inspections are carried out properly or thoroughly; factories are now enforcing strict rules in this regard, and frontline employees should be well aware that there are numerous safety checks, and penalties are imposed frequently. They might have become desensitized to these inspections, but has there really been an increase in the level of attention paid to equipment management? Is proper control in place at the source? If it was due to an operational error or if there were problems with the valve that weren’t addressed properly, then that’s obvious. But when the cause is attributed to a sudden leak in the valve, even if the inspection staff try to hold the valve in place, they still can’t prevent it from leaking. It can’t be said that the workers on duty were not diligent, nor that various safety measures weren’t followed – after all, no worker would risk their life. Let’s have more discussions on equipment management, the control of raw material quality, the level of attention given to equipment technology, the extent of maintenance work, and inspection standards. In terms of equipment management, there is a tendency to pursue efficiency and centralization by learning from Western practices; but just how advanced is the socialization of maintenance efforts in China? Relying on external parties for maintenance work does not necessarily mean that these parties possess high-level skills. It’s difficult to determine what the treatment, level of attention, and technical capabilities of a company’s own maintenance and equipment management teams are like, as the relationships involved are complex, and it’s hard to say exactly how much of these measures are actually implemented.