[Work Safety Exposure Platform] Steel plant reduces alarm sounds due to noise concerns!
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Recently, the State Council Safety Committee organized 20 comprehensive inspection teams to conduct random inspections on the work related to the special rectification of major safety hazards and supervision inspections in 31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government) as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. From February 21st to 25th, reporters from Nandu and N Video accompanied Group 13 of the comprehensive inspection team on a mission to Suzhou and Huai’an in Jiangsu Province, where they conducted both open and secret inspections of various local enterprises in the transportation, manufacturing, and chemical industries. They found that some companies issued permits for hot work in violation of regulations, that there were flaws in their monitoring and alarm systems, and that safety training and assessment procedures were not properly enforced. The carbon monoxide alarm in the control room had a weak sound level, and the firework operation permits were approved in violation of regulations. At Jiangsu Shagang Group Huaiyang Special Steel Co., Ltd. located in Huai’an, experts from the inspection team discovered alarm-related issues once again. Entering the production workshop, a loud rumbling sound and intense heat wave hit one immediately; molten iron of a bright red color was poured into the iron containers and transferred there slowly. The person in charge of safety production at the company explained to the inspection team that the company produces over 3 million tons per year of various high-quality and special-grade steels; its production lines include 4 blast furnaces, 2 converters, 1 electric furnace, and 4 gas holders. During iron and steel production, if blast furnace gas or converter gas leaks accidentally, it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning in people. Last December, the Ministry of Emergency Management issued a notice titled \"Notice on Carrying Out Special Rectification and Supervisory Inspections of Major Safety Hazards in Industrial and Trade Enterprises at the End of the Year and the Beginning of the New Year,\" requiring follow-up inspections on the progress of rectification efforts such as those outlined in the \"8 Guidelines for Steel Industries.\" “In areas where gas is used, such as blast furnaces, converters, heating furnaces, and gas holders, as well as in control rooms, operation rooms, and staff rest rooms that are manned, there are places where gas leaks or accumulations may occur; yet fixed carbon monoxide monitoring and alarm devices have not been installed there. This is not only a key point for inspection as specified in the “Eight Guidelines for Steel Production,” but it is also crucial for the inspection team to verify during this visit.
As soon as they entered the main control room of Blast Furnace No. 5, the fixed carbon monoxide alarm unit at the entrance caught the attention of the experts from the inspection team. Upon approaching, one can hear the beeping alarm sound, along with the rumbling noises that come from the workshop from time to time. “Can the personnel on duty hear it in time once the alarm goes off? ”Experts ask questions. The on-site staff said that when the volume is high, it gets very noisy in here. “It’s not a matter of noise; if the police are really called, no one will know, and then trouble will arise. ”The expert immediately demanded that the volume be increased. During the inspection, this alarm kept making noise. When the expert inquired about the management regulations for handling alarms, the staff said that such systems existed, but their explanations were vague. “There should be written regulations specifying the threshold value beyond which an alert is triggered and the time frame within which a response is required; the procedures for handling such situations must also be well-defined. ”Experts say.
Subsequently, the experts from the inspection team also found flaws in the company’s approval process for hot work permits. A hot work permit for the removal of cooling water pipes from the initial cooler shows that the \"hazards identified\" for this hot work included \"electric shock, fire, poisoning, and explosion.\" The hot work analysis was conducted on October 8, 2022, yet the dates on which the responsible supervisors and the top management of the plant approved it were October 7, 2022 – which does not comply with the management protocol requiring analysis and confirmation prior to approval. “It is necessary to first assess whether the hot work is safe before approving and signing; the process cannot be reversed. ”Experts explained to reporters from Nandu that the safety measures for production are interlinked; if any of these links fail, it increases the risk of hazards.
Inadequate risk management for the float sinking to the bottom of storage tanks, and imperfect inspection and maintenance plans. https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3596424-1-1.html (Source: Huahai Chuanliu – Haichuan Network)
According to reports, inspections have revealed that in some companies, there is insufficient control over the risk of storage tank floating floors hitting the bottom, and the maintenance plans are also inadequate. Specifically, if the liquid level in the tank is calculated incorrectly or if the tank is designed improperly, it can lead to excessive or insufficient pressure inside the tank, and may even pose a risk of the floating disk falling to the bottom. Furthermore, the inspection also revealed that some companies lack comprehensive plans and procedures for the maintenance, inspection, and upkeep of storage tanks. All these issues require close attention and timely resolution to ensure the safety of the factory and the stability of its production environment. .
Security management cannot be reduced to a mere formality or superficial approach; insufficient attention is still being paid to it in the country
Full marks awarded for missing answers on the training test; the safety production responsibility system has not been revised. https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3596426-1-1.html (Source: Huahai Chuanliu – Haichuan Network)
Series summary post: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3605132-1-1.html (Source: Huahai Chuanliu – Haichuan Network)