FAQs regarding the general requirements for special operations

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FAQs regarding general requirements for special operations: Q: Hot work performed in confined spaces involves hot work, working at heights, and operations in confined spaces. The associated risks include fire, other explosions, burns, electric shock, falls from heights, being struck by objects, poisoning, asphyxiation, and other injuries. Do I need to list all the risks on each work permit? Is it still possible to write them separately? For example, is it only specified as falls from height and object strikes on the work permit for working at heights, only poisoning and asphyxiation on the permit for working in confined spaces, with the remaining risks being listed on the work permit for hot work? Enterprise A should conduct a comprehensive identification of hazardous and harmful factors for the entire maintenance activity. When the same maintenance activity involves multiple types of special operations, it is sufficient to list the main risk identification results related to that operation in each safety work order. Q: If an enterprise does not grant leave for the statutory holidays, or the number of days of leave granted is less than the statutory amount, according to GB 30871-2022, should the enterprise implement upgraded management based on the actual number of days of leave granted, or based on the statutory number of holiday days? A The holiday dates are determined based on the actual vacation schedule of the company; the company shall specify its own holiday schedule in relevant documents (or notices, etc.). During the national statutory holidays when the company does not close for vacation, there is no need to implement enhanced management procedures for hot work. Q: In the new version of GB30871-2022, in the “Opinions of the safety management department” section on the hot work safety permit, is it permissible to authorize part-time safety officers from the production department, who have obtained certificates of completion for safety management training, to review and sign this section? The contents of the various safety work permits in the appendix of GB 30871-2022 are provided for enterprises’ reference only; they are not mandatory. Enterprises may, based on their actual circumstances, determine on their own the unit/person responsible for reviewing and approving special work permits; however, they must take appropriate measures to ensure that such unit/person possesses the necessary capabilities and authority. The reviewer and approver of special work permits have no direct relationship with whether a safety management personnel has obtained a qualified training certificate, or whether they are full-time or part-time safety management personnel. Q: Our company is developing an information system, and we are currently creating an online approval process for work orders. We have encountered some difficulties in this regard. Firstly, the mobile version of our company’s information system is designed primarily for our own employees; due to issues related to confidentiality and access rights, we have not considered providing separate accounts for the personnel from the contracting parties. Additionally, our company requires that, aside from the project supervisors who are in charge on-site, the personnel from the contracting parties must not bring mobile phones with them. Given the current state of the system, the names of the workers listed on the work orders related to the contractors’ tasks are selected from the pre-entered information of those contractors within the system by our own company when the orders are created. As a result, the names of our company’s employees appear on the work orders in the form of handwritten signatures via the mobile app, while the names of the contractors appear in printed format on the orders. Excuse me, does this meet the requirements? Since most employees are not allowed to bring mobile phones, even some guardians are unable to sign in person. GB 30871-2022 does not specify explicitly that personnel involved in the task must sign the safety work order in person. However, to ensure that the personnel involved in the operation are fully aware of all relevant details, they should sign in the appropriate sections of the safety operation ticket. It is recommended that contractors be equipped with mobile devices for processing electronic work permits, or that contractors sign on the mobile devices of relevant personnel from the owner’s organization. Enterprises should also equip each position with a certain number of terminal devices for information systems, such as explosion-proof mobile phones. These terminal devices can be configured accordingly and are to be used solely for work purposes. Q: How should the operation request time indicated on the work permit in the new version of GB30871 be interpreted? If the work plan was formulated last week and a template was created in the electronic system, should the date of the work request also be set to last week? In the special work permits listed in the appendix of GB 30871-2022, the “work application time” refers to the time when the work is planned and the application for a safety work permit is initiated. It can be filled in according to the actual time of application; there are no specific deadlines or other requirements. According to Q GB 30871-2022, in the sample form of the \"Hot Work Safety Permit\", the hot work period is specified from XX:XX on XX, XX year to XX:XX on XX, XX year. Should the planned start time for the hot work be filled in, or should the actual start and end times of the hot work be indicated? In the “Operation start time” field of each safety work order in Appendix A of GB 30871-2022, the actual start time and actual end time of the operation shall be filled in. If a company considers the \"operation execution time\" to be the scheduled operation time, it should specify the actual start time and actual end time of the operation in the relevant management regulations and in the safety operation ticket. Q GB30871 stipulates that guardians must pass assessments and hold certificates to be qualified for the job. Is it sufficient to obtain certification through in-house corporate training, or is it necessary to get a training completion certificate from a professional training institution? On our end, **we require all guardians to obtain a certificate of completion for safety management training. Is this a mandatory requirement?** GB 30871-2022 does not set clear requirements regarding the entities responsible for training supervisors for special operations; companies can conduct such training on their own or entrust it to qualified organizations. The standards also do not require supervisors of special operations to hold a certification obtained through safety management training. Q In the interpretation of the new version 30871 hot issues, the end time under \"Assignment implementation time\" refers to the actual end time of the assignment. Does that mean that during the job approval process, it’s not necessary to specify the end time for carrying out the job, since it’s impossible to determine exactly when a job will be completed; it’s possible that it will be finished earlier than planned? Additionally, how should the completion and acceptance date be written? Is it later than the end time specified on the assignment sheet, or earlier? In the “Operation start time” field of each safety work order in Appendix A of GB 30871-2022, the reference is to the actual start and end times of the operation, not the planned times; therefore, the operation end time should be filled in at the actual time when the operation is completed. The acceptance time for the work must definitely not be earlier than the completion time of the work; only after the work is finished can the acceptance be carried out. The job completion acceptance time can be the same as the job end time, or a few minutes later than the job end time. Q 1. The supervisor for hazardous operations is appointed by the owner, with the contractor appointing one if necessary. I don’t understand this. 2. Hazardous work permits should not be handled under the leadership of contractors. The developer outsources many projects, and there are numerous hazardous tasks carried out on a daily basis, making it somewhat difficult to obtain the necessary permits. 3. The definition of temporary electricity use differs from that specified in GB/T50484-2019. Does connecting a welding machine to a temporary power outlet also fall under temporary electricity use? Do all of them require formalities for assignments? A 1. The 30871-2022 standard does not explicitly require that the guardian must be a staff member of the hazardous chemicals enterprise. Considering the professional competence and sense of responsibility of the contractor’s personnel, and in order to better manage operational risks, it is recommended that personnel from the hazardous chemicals company serve as supervisors. It is also recommended that for complex tasks, the working unit assign additional supervisors. 2. Article 4.6 of GB 30871-2022 requires that: Before carrying out any operations, hazardous chemical enterprises shall organize the procedures for approval of such operations, with the relevant responsible persons signing off on them. ”This means that a specific unit within a hazardous chemicals enterprise should be responsible for organizing the issuance of special work permits. The contractor is less familiar than the personnel at the work site with the approval process for special operations, the operational procedures, and the potential risks in the working environment; therefore, it cannot undertake the task of processing operation permits. 3. GB 30871-2022 and GB/T 50484-2019 have different scopes of application; the definitions in the two standards cannot be equated or compared. GB 30871 is a mandatory national standard, while GB/T 50484 is a recommended national standard. Special operations in hazardous chemicals enterprises shall comply with GB 30871. Using explosion-proof sockets and plugs also falls under the category of temporary electricity use, as temporary electricity use refers not only to connecting and disconnecting power supply but also to the entire process of using electrical equipment by the user. Q: After electronic tickets are introduced for special operations, how can it be ensured that the personnel carrying out the work have these tickets, given that they are stored on the terminals held by the project supervisor and guardian at the location where the work is carried out? A For special tasks for which electronic work tickets are used, the workers do not need to carry physical work tickets anymore. Special work permits can be checked at any time on the guardian’s terminal. Q: Have standards such as the \"Safety Regulations for Hot Work in Chemical Production Units\" (AQ3022-2008), the Safety Specifications for Hot Work in Production Areas (HG 30010-2013), the \"Safety Specifications for Work in Confined Spaces in Chemical Production Units\" (AQ3028-2008), the Chemical Industry Standards for Safety Specifications of Work in Confined Spaces in Production Areas (HG30011-2013), the \"Safety Specifications for High-Altitude Work in Chemical Production Units\" (AQ3025-2008), and the Chemical Industry Standards for Safety Regulations of High-Altitude Work in Plant Areas (HG 23014-1999) been repealed? Can the establishment of unit regulations be based solely on the new version of the \"Safety Specifications for Special Operations in Chemical Production Units\" (GB30871-2022)? The special operation standards of the HG30010 series have been revoked, while special operation standards such as the AQ3022 series remain in force. The Ministry of Emergency Management is currently working to revoke these standards. The special operation management system of enterprises can be modified primarily based on GB30871-2022. Q: Regarding the authorization for special operations, is there a relevant procedure? In case of special circumstances where the approver is unavailable, can someone else be authorized to perform the approval? Should there be a authorization process? Is there any requirement regarding the validity period of such authorization? GB 30871-2022 does not specify any requirements regarding the approval and authorization of special operations. In practice, when the approver for special operations is not present at the plant, they may authorize another person capable of approving special operation permits to carry out the approval. However, a record of such authorization must be kept (in writing, or via QQ, WeChat, text messages, etc.), and each operation must have its own separate authorization. The relevant requirements should be clearly stipulated in the enterprise’s relevant management systems. Q: The new version of the safety work permit is a triplicate form. Its implementation period corresponds to the actual construction period, especially the completion time. How should the copies of the work permit be stored separately? A If, after issuance, the safety work permit is held by different persons, then upon completion of the work, the end time of the work and the comments regarding completion acceptance should be filled in on one copy (e.g., the copy held by the supervisor). This copy shall be archived for future reference. There is no need to fill in the completion acceptance comments on the other two copies. These requirements should be clearly stipulated in the enterprise’s relevant management systems. Q: Regarding GB30871-2022, for level-1 hot work and level-4 high-altitude work, the approver mentioned the plant manager in charge – who is this plant manager? Who should approve the appointment of the vice presidents in charge of production technology, safety, and equipment respectively? In Appendix B of GB 30871-2022, the terms “responsible factory director” and “responsible leader” refer to the deputy general manager or deputy factory director in an enterprise who is in charge of a particular area or specialty. If a company has multiple deputy general managers (deputy plant directors), it should be determined based on the administrative responsibilities assigned to each deputy general manager (deputy plant director) within the company as to which deputy general manager (deputy plant director) is responsible for approving safety work permits of certain types. Q: In the high-altitude work permit, what is meant by “opinion of the affiliated unit”? Does it refer to the unit to which the person performing the high-altitude work belongs (such as a maintenance team), or it refers to the local unit where the high-altitude work will be carried out (such as XXX workshop)? A In the safety work permit, the “opinion of the affiliated unit” refers to the unit in whose jurisdiction the work site is located, usually a certain production workshop. Q: Who is responsible for conducting the completion inspection as specified in the hot work and high-altitude work permits? After a special operation is completed, it is recommended to implement a \"double inspection\" process, whereby the personnel from the workshop where the operation takes place and the workers who carried out the operation conduct the inspection together. Q1. The scope of application of GB 30871 is specified only as “safety management requirements for various special operations in hazardous chemicals enterprises”. It does not explicitly state that this standard does not apply to special operations carried out in new, renovated, expanded, or technically upgraded projects of hazardous chemicals enterprises. Even when the distance from other fire- and explosion-prone production facilities within the plant area exceeds 30 meters, which document serves as the basis for this? 2. The appendices in GB30871 are all recommended standards; therefore, can the number of copies of a bill be determined based on the actual circumstances of the enterprise? A 1. For power plant-related operations in hazardous chemical enterprises, GB 30871 shall be followed; where there are specific provisions, those provisions shall apply. 2. All appendices in GB 30871-2022 are informational in nature and provided for reference by enterprises; they are not mandatory requirements. Enterprises may refer to the contents of these appendices when formulating relevant requirements that suit their own actual circumstances. Q: The definition of hot work in GB30817-2022 includes operations that involve the use of sandblasting machines. Does this refer to dry sandblasting machines or wet sandblasting machines? The sandblasting machines involved in hot work as specified in GB 30871-2022 do not include wet sandblasting machines. Q: Can contractors’ personnel serve as supervisors for special operations? Or do we still need employees from within the company? GB 30871-2022 does not specify which party must assume the role of supervisor for special operations. However, it is recommended that the supervisor for special operations be an internal employee of the hazardous chemicals company (an employee from the unit where the operation takes place), and it is not advisable for a contractor to act as the supervisor alone. Considering factors such as their understanding of various potential risks at the worksite and corresponding control measures, as well as their sense of responsibility, it is more reasonable for in-house company personnel to serve as supervisors rather than contractor staff. Q: Regarding the special operation analysis, must this section be filled out and analyzed by the laboratory staff of the company, or can any workshop in the company that has the necessary capabilities carry out this task? GB30871-2022 does not specify clear requirements for personnel responsible for analyzing special operation gases; these can be professional analysts from analysis laboratories, or they can be supervisors or safety officers from the enterprise’s production workshops. Practices in some enterprises: For special operations, the initial gas sampling and analysis is carried out by analytical chemists, while continuous monitoring during the operation is performed by supervisors or safety officers, etc. Regardless of who carries out the analysis of special process gases, such personnel must receive relevant training to understand the requirements for gas analysis and how to use the analytical instruments. Q: Which departments are responsible for lifting operations, ground-breaking operations, and circuit-breaking operations respectively? The \"specialized department\" referred to in Appendix B of GB30871-2022 is the department within an enterprise that is responsible for managing tasks such as lifting operations, groundwork, and circuit disconnection. Different enterprises have different arrangements regarding these responsibilities, and enterprises should determine which department is responsible based on the division of duties among their internal departments.