【Ministry of Emergency Management’s Special Supervision 2022】17 – In a company in Gansu, there was a minor leak outside the sampling valve of a crude benzene storage tank; instead of using a sealed sampling device, temporary plastic bottles were used for sampling
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Recently, the Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched 8 working groups to various regions to carry out the first ministerial-level supervision and inspection in 2022 of enterprises with major hazardous chemical sources. Among them, the second supervision and inspection team arrived in Jinta County, Jiuquan City, Gansu Province, to inspect Jiuquan 37 Coal Chemicals, which is located in the chemical industry cluster of the Beihewan Circular Economy Industrial Park. A coal chemical enterprise in Gansu was found to have 33 safety hazards during an inspection conducted by the Ministry of Emergency Management, 3 of which were considered major hazards. According to Caijing, the company involved in this matter, Jiuquan Sanqi Qixin Coal Chemical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Jiuquan Sanqi Coal Chemical”), had to suspend operations due to environmental issues; it is now resuming trial production. The supervision and inspection team ordered the company to engage a Class A design firm to conduct a safety design assessment, and it will not be allowed to obtain a safety production license until the relevant hazards are resolved. In recent years, the chemical industry cluster in the Beihewan Circular Economy Industrial Park has hosted many industrial relocation projects. Jiuquan Sanqi Coal Chemical, formerly known as Jiuquan City Jinyuan Mining Co., Ltd., is a coal chemical project that was established through investment attraction and has an annual production capacity of 1 million tons of coke. It features two major hazard sources: the crude benzene intermediates (tanks), which constitute a level-4 major hazard source, and the comprehensive tank area, which is a level-3 major hazard source. The company began trial production in January 2020, but suspended operations due to environmental penalties and other reasons; after a change in investors in 2021, it resumed trial production in February 2022. As required, enterprises shall implement a responsibility system for major hazard sources; they must appoint a principal responsible person, a technical responsible person, and an operational responsible person, clarify their respective responsibilities, and display them on-site. However, during the inspection, the supervision and verification team found that Jiuquan Sanqi Coalification had not appointed a primary responsible person for major hazard sources; the relevant documents only listed a technical supervisor and an operational supervisor. “Who is the person responsible for ensuring safe production in the enterprise? ”The supervision and inspection team asked Ma Qiang, the legal representative and general manager of the company, but he failed to provide an answer for a long time. According to regulations, the main person in charge of an enterprise is the daily safety production commitment holder. Why do you know nothing when asked? During the inspection, Ma Qiang admitted that he had not yet passed the assessment conducted by the emergency management department and therefore did not possess a qualification certificate. Caixin noted that the educational qualifications of the staff at Jiuquan Sanqi Coal Chemical generally did not meet the requirements. During the inspection, it was found that the operators of the facilities representing major hazard sources, namely those in the chemical production workshop, did not meet the required educational standards; among the more than 100 people in that workshop, 55 had only a junior high school education, and 3 even had only an elementary school education.
Cai Xin, along with experts from the supervision and inspection team, inspected some of the production areas at Jiuquan Sanqi Coalification. Shortly after entering the factory premises, despite the open surroundings and good air circulation, there was still a strong, irritating odor present. Experts say that the relevant production equipment may be damaged or have insufficient sealing, resulting in the leakage of toxic and harmful gases during the production process. Inspections revealed that on the platform above the storage tank area for cumene intermediates, which is classified as a major hazard source of level 4, there was a valve without a blind cover, resulting in leaks; furthermore, non-explosion-proof iron tools were placed on that platform. Experts say that using iron tools can generate sparks, posing a risk of explosion. The supervision and inspection team also found that some electrical equipment and wiring design and installation in explosion-hazardous areas such as the chemical production workshop and the crude benzene tank area did not comply with electrical explosion-proof standards. Furthermore, the experts found at the integrated tank farm that there was a slight leak outside the sampling valve of the crude benzene storage tank; a plastic beverage bottle was temporarily used instead of a sealed sampler. Experts say that benzene is highly toxic and can damage a person’s hematopoietic function; it’s truly surprising to see plastic bottles being used to prevent leaks in the sampling valves.
It is understood that Jiuquan Sanqi Coalification carried out the design of safety facilities in 2012, made a major modification in 2019, and has yet to complete the completion acceptance process to this day. Experts from the supervision and inspection team told Caijing that the company has been operating intermittently in recent years, which may have caused damage to some of its equipment; coupled with changes in the company’s management and inadequate safety measures, this creates a high level of risk. At present, the supervision and inspection team has ordered the company to engage a Class A design firm to conduct a detailed safety design assessment; the project shall not be approved for completion until all related safety issues are resolved ； Local emergency management departments must supervise enterprises to carry out strict rectifications.
【Ministry of Emergency Management’s Special Inspection 2022】Summary Edition – welcome to participate in discussions and self-inspections! ! ! ! https://bbs.hcbbs.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3418729 (Source: Huahai Chuanliu – Haichuan Network)
The company has been operating intermittently in recent years; some of its equipment may be damaged. Coupled with changes in the management team and inadequate safety management, the overall risk level is high.