Thread Content
Chemical enterprises deal with a variety of chemical substances in their production equipment, production processes, and production environments, which exposes employees to various occupational hazards during the production process. The author believes that chemical enterprises should adhere to the principle of prevention, focusing on strict supervision of the three key elements: occupational hazard factors, workplace risks, and occupational safety and health, in order to ensure the safety and health of their employees. Occupational hazards in enterprises: Regarding the supervision of such hazards, the practices of certain chemical companies abroad are worth emulating: they create databases containing information on the health and safety risks and controls related to various chemicals or materials, in accordance with legal requirements or industry best practices, and make these databases available free of charge for use by employees of companies and contractors. By comparing with the data in the information database, employees identify and assess potential health and safety hazards related to their activities, and implement effective monitoring and control measures to continuously improve the company’s occupational health and safety practices. Regarding warning signs, chemical enterprises should: place warning signs or information boards in prominent locations in areas prone to fire, explosion, or toxicity; establish a change management system to assess permanent or temporary changes in personnel, management practices, processes, technologies, and facilities; and devise appropriate measures to control the risks associated with such changes. Workplace risk management: Chemical companies must implement a safe work permit system to protect their employees from exposure to hazardous situations resulting from factory maintenance or abnormal operations. This system includes work permits for mechanical operations, hot work, work in confined spaces, earthwork, work at heights, temporary electrical use, electrical work, and other related categories of risks. Many accidents occur due to poor communication between parties, or because it is assumed that the other party has completed certain tasks. This system places particular emphasis on smooth communication between operators and maintenance staff before, during, and after tasks are carried out. By establishing procedures to strengthen and maintain high standards of order and cleanliness, especially when using tools and equipment, the safety of workers on site can be effectively protected. Chemical manufacturing enterprises should, in terms of workplace risk management, ensure that all procedures related to occupational health and safety are documented and available for contractors to consult ; Ensure that the relevant maintenance procedures are implemented to guarantee safe operations at all times ; Only contract contractors who implement proper occupational health and safety programs ; Establish a performance assessment system for contractors’ occupational health and safety, conduct regular evaluations and impose rewards or penalties on them. If a contractor’s performance continues to decline and shows no signs of improvement over time, the contractor can be dismissed ; The on-site contractor, together with the external workers, communicates regarding the relevant occupational health and safety risks ; Provide appropriate job safety training and formal pre-job training to all on-site contractor personnel. Employee safety and health management: Personal protection constitutes the last line of defense among various protective measures, and personal protective equipment plays a crucial role in ensuring physical safety. Chemical enterprises should select the personal protective equipment required in the job risk assessment based on the results of hazard identification. In terms of health monitoring, it is also necessary to establish and maintain a health monitoring system in order to assess whether employees’ health conditions permit them to perform the assigned tasks, as well as to determine whether they meet the occupational health surveillance standards set for hazards in the work environment. For employees who are frequently exposed to occupational disease hazards, the company must arrange regular occupational health check-ups and establish health surveillance records.