【Haichuan Chemical Accident Updates】Major spill of concentrated sulfuric acid at a factory in Japan; amount could reach up to 1,900 liters
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According to a report on the website of Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao on the 17th, a leak of concentrated sulfuric acid occurred at a factory in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, with an estimated amount of up to 1,900 liters of the acid leaking. According to a report on the website of the local newspaper \"Shizuoka Shimbun\" on the 17th, Hamamatsu City issued a statement on the 16th stating that between the 15th and the early morning of the 16th, a factory in Hamamatsu that produces insulation materials may have leaked as much as 1,900 liters of concentrated sulfuric acid. The company owning the factory said that although the factory was shut down from the 15th to the 16th, the equipment continued to operate. On the morning of the 16th, employees inspecting the equipment discovered a leak of concentrated sulfuric acid. The water in the ditch on the north side of the factory was once highly acidic. The company owning the factory believes that a water injection failure in the equipment used to dilute concentrated sulfuric acid caused damage to the water tanks and pipes, resulting in the leakage of concentrated sulfuric acid into the soil. Reports say that concentrated sulfuric acid is highly corrosive and can cause severe burns upon contact with the skin ； When people inhale the acid mist it produces, they may also experience symptoms such as coughing and difficulty breathing. Hamamatsu City **appeals to people not to approach the ditches near the factory.
1900 liters – that’s really a serious accident
Nanning Factory No. 1, October 2017
To test the practicality of the \"Company’s Emergency Plan for Sudden Safety Incidents in the Sulfuric Acid Plant\" as well as the effectiveness of coordination among various departments, and to enhance the company’s ability to respond to sudden safety incidents and to work together effectively, on the morning of August 24th, the company conducted an emergency drill for sulfuric acid leaks at the Dongshan workshop of the sulfuric acid plant. Provincial safety supervision experts, the head of the Huludao City Safety Supervision Bureau, the company’s general manager Yu Enyuan, deputy general manager Jiang Hongbo, as well as relevant personnel from the company’s safety and environmental protection department, production department, and other units attended this drill. During the drill, the acid preparation workers and team leader carried out regular inspections as scheduled; they detected cracks in the flanges of the finished product tanks, as well as significant amounts of acid mist being released, which caused the personnel on duty to suffer burns from the acid mist. Upon discovering this, the inspectors informed the team leader, directed the on-duty staff to take self-help measures, and promptly notified the shift supervisor to arrange for an ambulance from the hospital. Immediately after on-site confirmation, report to the relevant supervisors and inform the head of the emergency response team by phone. All rescue and hazard mitigation personnel rushed to the scene and activated the emergency response plan for sulfuric acid leaks in order to carry out repairs. Twenty minutes later, the repairs related to the sulfuric acid leak at the plant were completed, and tests showed that the environment was neutral; thus, this sulfuric acid leak did not cause any pollution to the surrounding area. At the drill site, personnel in various positions worked closely together in accordance with their responsibilities, coordinated their efforts, obeyed orders, and followed instructions, ensuring that the drill proceeded in a disciplined and orderly manner. Jiang Hongbo, the company’s deputy general manager, summarized the emergency response plan for this sulfuric acid leak, highlighting the scientific nature and practicality of this drill. The accident emergency response achieved the objectives of testing emergency plans, training teams, improving preparedness, and promoting awareness of emergency procedures. It was also emphasized that in real accidents in the future, there will be some unexpected situations that go beyond our expectations and imaginations; therefore, all units must double their efforts in daily management and inspections, take preventive measures, and step up efforts to address potential risks, eliminating them at the earliest stage.
On the afternoon of February 17, the power generation workshop organized an emergency drill for a concentrated sulfuric acid leakage incident. This drill simulated a situation in which, during the process of transferring concentrated sulfuric acid using circulating water, a pipe broke, causing sulfuric acid to spill out from the rupture and resulting in the workers involved in the transfer process having their arms burned by the acid. After the person in charge of the operation reported the situation on site, the power generation workshop immediately activated the \"Chemical Hazard Leak Response Plan\" and sent additional personnel to the site to assist with the handling. The on-site first aid team first wiped the sulfuric acid off the injured persons’ bodies using clean cloths, then cleaned the wounds with a 1-2% sodium bicarbonate solution, and finally rinsed them with distilled water ； The emergency response team immediately put on protective equipment to isolate the leak site, used pH test strips to determine the approximate extent of the sulfuric acid leakage, and neutralized and absorbed the acid that had spilled onto the ground using soil, thereby effectively bringing the leak under control. All aspects of this drill were well coordinated, and the participants carried out their tasks skillfully and appropriately, resulting in its complete success. Through this emergency drill, not only was employees’ awareness of burns caused by hazardous chemicals improved, but their ability to handle emergencies promptly was also enhanced. This ensures that in the event of an emergency, employees can carry out emergency response and rescue actions in an orderly manner, minimizing the risks associated with such incidents and maintaining safe and stable production.