【Haichuan Chemical Accident Updates】November 5, 2017: Demolition accident in Gaoming, Foshan
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At around 8:27 on November 5, 2017, an explosion occurred during the demolition of old equipment at the former Gaoming Gaoyu Plastics and Chemicals Co., Ltd. in Foshan City (located at No. 37, Yanjiang Road, Hecheng Sub-district, Gaoming District; the facility had ceased operations). The accident resulted in 1 death and 3 people suffering minor injuries. The injured were promptly taken to Gaoming District Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital for treatment. Traffic on the Gaoming Bridge has not been affected.
At around 8:26 a.m., an explosion occurred in an abandoned factory building of the former Gaojuhua Chemical Factory, located next to the chemical plant on the Gaoming Bridge heading toward Xiqiao. The force of the explosion caused some items in the factory to fly out, and the ground was damaged. Preliminary investigations suggest that the explosion was caused by workers using air welders to cut down old doors and windows; the incident resulted in one death and three injuries, with the injured taken to hospital where their conditions are stable. The Gaoming Bridge has been reopened to traffic
How could the demolition of old doors and windows cause an explosion?
Explosive gas environments or explosive dust environments are sometimes difficult to detect without careful inspection. It reminds us, especially those in the chemical industry, that when shutting down plants or disposing of facilities, even if proper handling is done at the time of shutdown, no one can guarantee that nothing will change over time. So, it’s better to follow the requirements for risk analysis of special operations
For equipment and facilities that need to be scrapped or taken out of use, before carrying out disposal operations, the Production Department and the Safety and Environment Department shall organize relevant personnel to conduct a risk analysis, assess the risks associated with the disposal process, develop plans for disposal, implement risk control measures, and carry out the disposal promptly. Such equipment and facilities should be effectively isolated and labeled from those still in use, or transferred to a safe location.
Accidents are more likely to occur during the dismantling of old equipment, so this issue requires attention