Author: Li Zhenghao
Fire and Rescue Brigade of Mentougou District, Beijing 102300
Abstract:In the context of China's continuous development and progress, the chemical industry has experienced unprecedented growth, becoming an indispensable component of the national economy. However, from an objective perspective, chemical enterprises possess inherent risks, particularly during production, where raw materials are often flammable, explosive, and toxic. This poses a threat to the physical and mental health of employees and can also negatively impact the environment. Furthermore, in the event of an accident, chemical enterprises can suffer significant losses, potentially leading to environmental pollution and casualties. This article analyzes the characteristics of fires in chemical enterprises and proposes the challenges and optimization strategies for fire safety management in chemical enterprises.
Keywords:Chemical enterprises; fire safety regulation; safety management
Difficulties and Countermeasures of Fire Control in Chemical EnterprisesLI Zheng-hao (Mentougou District Fire and Rescue Detachment, Beijing 102300, China)Abstract: In the context of the continuous development and progress of Chinese society, the chemical industry has achieved unprecedented development and has become an important part of the national economy that cannot be ignored. However, from an objective point of view, chemical enterprises have certain risks. Especially in the production process, most raw materials of chemical production are flammable, explosive, poisonous and harmful, which not only poses a threat to the physical and mental health of employees, but also may have a negative impact on the environment. Especially after the occurrence of safety accidents, it will bring great losses to chemical enterprises, and even cause environmental pollution and casualties. Therefore, this paper analyzes the fire characteristics of chemical enterprises, and puts forward the difficulties and optimization strategies of fire control supervision in chemical enterprises.Keywords: chemical enterprises; fire prevention supervision; safety management
1. Characteristics of fires in chemical enterprises
1.1 High fire risk
Due to the nature of chemical production, many raw materials used by chemical companies are flammable, explosive, and toxic. Furthermore, the production processes are highly demanding, requiring many chemical reactions to be conducted under extreme conditions such as high temperatures, high pressures, or low temperatures and vacuum. The production steps are complex, making the process relatively difficult. Any lapse in attention can pose a significant fire hazard.[1]"Compared to typical fires, fires in chemical enterprises are generally more severe than those in ordinary businesses or residential areas. This is because chemical enterprises are more prone to causing a series of explosions. If a chemical enterprise lacks proper safety management or has non-standard operating procedures, it can easily lead to fires and explosions, which can also affect the surrounding environment.
1.2 Rapid fire spread
Industrial accidents involving chemical plants can cause personnel injuries and property damage, and the rapid spread of fire poses significant risks. Fires spread quickly and release large amounts of heat, making rescue efforts difficult, especially in plants with complex, three-dimensional layouts. This increases the risk of further explosions and other hazards. Additionally, chemical production processes often involve hazardous substances such as concentrated sulfuric acid, concentrated nitric acid, and benzene-based compounds. These substances can spread through air and water, directly polluting the air and soil, and indirectly affecting the daily lives of surrounding people. For example, in a rayon production plant, a fiber-ether production facility in a south factory, approximately 1 hour after the stripping process began, a rupture occurred in the bottom header of the stripping tank (110cm length, 2cm width), causing the leakage of flammable solvents such as isopropyl alcohol, toluene, and epoxypropane. Due to the effects of static electricity, the tank exploded. The fire could not be controlled until firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. The final incident resulted in 1 person with serious injuries and 2 with minor injuries, with direct economic losses of 150,000 yuan.
2. Challenges in Fire Safety Supervision for Chemical Enterprises
2.1 Lack of a comprehensive fire safety management and control mechanism.
Some chemical enterprises, in their pursuit of profits, tend to focus primarily on production and operations. Consequently, they often lag in addressing fire safety issues and lack clear definitions of the regulatory powers and responsibilities related to fire safety for chemical enterprises [2]. Furthermore, during the implementation of fire safety management for chemical enterprises, strict controls are not applied to equipment and processes that pose potential production safety hazards, preventing the effective implementation of fire safety management responsibilities [2].Many chemical enterprises are currently undergoing internal development and transformation. While they have begun to prioritize the development of fire safety management standards, fire safety personnel often lack clarity regarding their responsibilities, have unclear divisions of labor, and lack comprehensive fire safety concepts and mechanisms. This leads to inadequate handling of fire safety issues and makes it difficult to implement comprehensive management, inspection, and response procedures.In addition, the lack of a comprehensive and well-established system for employee fire safety training, practical fire safety skills training, and simulated emergency exercises directly impacts the standardization of fire safety management in chemical enterprises.
2.2 Improper layout of chemical plant areas
The primary fire safety hazards in chemical enterprises mainly occur during the chemical production process. Considering the current situation of chemical enterprises in China, there are often issues with the layout of the plant area. Due to the lack of scientific planning in the plant area, it is easy to trigger fire safety hazards. Properly planning the plant area for chemical enterprises is crucial for ensuring fire safety. However, considering the current situation of chemical enterprise plant area construction, some chemical enterprises have not obtained approval from the fire safety supervision department, leading to the serious issue of "construction before approval". Furthermore, a common fire safety issue in chemical enterprise plant areas is the insufficient distance between the storage warehouse and the production area of the chemical enterprise, which does not meet the fire safety requirements. This is because chemical production materials or finished products contain many flammable, explosive, and toxic substances. When the temperature and environment reach the ignition point or explosion point, corresponding safety issues arise, increasing the potential risk of fire. In some cases, the design of chemical factory spaces can also hinder the normal operation of fire rescue work, preventing the most optimal fire extinguishing and rescue. Additionally, some chemical enterprises have unreasonable fire safety passage designs, and even during daily production, fire safety passages are misused. The operating conditions of fire safety passages are relatively poor.
2.3 Inadequate fire protection facilities in chemical enterprises.
In their daily production and operation, chemical enterprises should always prioritize fire safety management and continuously improve their fire protection facilities. However, considering the current situation, many chemical enterprises have not been able to adequately maintain and improve their fire protection facilities. Although some chemical enterprises have installed fixed fire extinguishers, it is difficult to ensure that fire extinguishers are readily available throughout the entire plant or area. In the event of a fire, it can be challenging to initiate immediate fire rescue efforts.One of the most critical infrastructure elements for fire safety management in chemical enterprises is a fire water pool. However, many chemical enterprises currently lack fire water pools with sufficient storage capacity. Even those enterprises that recognize the importance of fire safety management and have established fire water pools, often find that these pools are located far from the plant area and have a limited capacity, making it difficult to meet immediate fire management needs. The phenomenon of improperly designed fire protection facilities in some chemical enterprises is particularly prominent. If these issues are not addressed promptly, they can easily create hidden risks for subsequent fire safety management efforts.
2.4. Fire hazard prevention awareness is relatively low.
based on an analysis of the causes of fire incidents in chemical enterprises, most fires are caused by inadequate safety awareness among production personnel and insufficient fire prevention awareness among management personnel. Currently, some chemical enterprises still have production personnel with relatively low skill levels, and even some are migrant workers, lacking essential fire safety knowledge. Due to the inherent safety risks in chemical production, some production personnel find it difficult to comply with production processes and procedures, even leading to the leakage of flammable and explosive materials. once exposed to sparks or static electricity, these situations can trigger safety accidents. In addition, safety issues can also occur in the storage and transportation of raw materials or finished products in chemical enterprises due to a lack of fire safety awareness. For example, nitrate waste can spontaneously ignite and cause safety accidents. While some chemical enterprises have recognized the importance of personnel fire safety and have established corresponding regulatory mechanisms, some production personnel may fabricate situations for their convenience, leading to fire safety issues.
3 Optimization Strategies for Fire Safety Management in Chemical Enterprises
3.1 Establish a comprehensive fire safety management system for chemical enterprises.
Managing fire safety in chemical enterprises presents significant challenges due to the complexity of the regulatory requirements. To ensure efficient fire safety management, it is essential for chemical enterprises to develop and implement scientifically sound management systems tailored to their specific needs. This includes establishing stable and effective processes for all fire safety-related tasks.Chemical enterprises should recognize the importance and value of fire safety management and collaborate with fire safety supervision departments to establish a comprehensive fire safety management system within the enterprise. This should include a well-defined system for regular inspection and maintenance of fire equipment, clearly outlining the responsibilities and duties of each department involved in daily chemical production. By implementing these measures, chemical enterprises can effectively reduce the risk of fire incidents.Furthermore, fire safety management departments should assist chemical enterprises in conducting regular fire safety training and awareness programs to reinforce the safety awareness of all personnel involved in chemical production. With a robust and well-defined management system in place, chemical enterprises can ensure the stable and effective implementation of fire safety management.
3.2 Continuously optimize the layout of the company's factory area.
To ensure the efficiency of fire safety management for chemical enterprises and reduce potential fire hazards, it is essential to scientifically plan and construct the layout of the factory from the perspective of the factory layout and construction. Considering the characteristics of chemical production, strictly implement the various regulations and standards of fire safety management in China, and ensure the rational layout of production, storage, and factory areas within the chemical enterprise. Appropriately arrange the locations of different chemical production areas and define the functions of each area to meet both the daily production needs of the chemical enterprise and the requirements of fire safety management regulations. Strictly adhere to the principle of "approval before construction," inviting chemical production experts, engineering construction personnel, and fire safety management departments to coordinate the layout of production areas, storage areas, administrative offices, and employee dormitories within the chemical enterprise, ensuring the scientific and rational layout of the basic factory areas. For hazardous materials and flammable and explosive items, strict control and special storage should be implemented. All levels of fire safety management departments should also fulfill their supervisory and management responsibilities, regularly inspecting chemical enterprises within their jurisdiction to ensure that the distances between chemical enterprise storage warehouses, chemical production workshops, and chemical enterprise storage tanks and fire safety equipment comply with regulations. If necessary, immediate correction notices should be issued, and the chemical enterprise should be supervised to carry out scientific and rational corrections. If the corrections do not meet relevant industry standards, chemical production should be suspended. If fire safety management personnel discover that a chemical enterprise project has not obtained the necessary approvals, it must be reported immediately. For key engineering projects such as chemical enterprise solid waste warehouses, fire safety management departments must strictly adhere to the principle of "approval before construction." This is especially important for solid waste warehouses storing nitrate materials and solid waste warehouses storing flammable and explosive materials, which should be prioritized for fire safety management and assigned relevant safety supervision responsibilities. During the implementation of fire safety management for chemical enterprises, all factory and storage areas should have sufficient emergency rescue space and channels to ensure the smooth passage of fire vehicles. Fire vehicles should be able to access all key areas of the chemical enterprise, including factories and storage tanks.
3.3 Enhance fire protection facilities for chemical enterprises
In the fire protection supervision and management of chemical enterprises, it is essential to strengthen the supervision and control of fire protection equipment in chemical enterprises. It is necessary to ensure that chemical enterprises have complete and well-maintained fire protection facilities, including fire hydrants, fire pumps, fire extinguishers, fire detectors, fire alarm systems, flammable gas detectors, toxic gas detectors, and fire sprinkler systems, enabling rapid fire rescue in case of emergencies. Fire protection supervision and management personnel must carefully and diligently perform all aspects of fire protection inspections and strictly control the fire protection facilities of the enterprise. To further enhance the efficiency of fire protection supervision and management, each chemical enterprise should establish a fire protection supervision and management file, dynamically update the fire protection situation of the enterprise, and promptly analyze the potential fire risks of different chemical enterprises. This will ensure that chemical enterprises carry out all necessary fire safety management work. The operation of fire protection equipment in chemical enterprises should be managed in a record-keeping manner. If inadequate or negligent maintenance is detected, it is essential to immediately order the enterprise to rectify the situation and strengthen the maintenance of fire protection facilities in chemical enterprises. In addition, fire protection management departments must conduct dynamic and regular inspections of all fire protection facilities in chemical enterprises. By using sampling inspections, monthly maintenance, and quarterly maintenance, they can effectively check the water supply, power supply, and other aspects of fire protection facilities. If problems such as aging and corrosion of pipelines are detected, they should be immediately addressed. Fire protection personnel in chemical enterprises should also conduct strict inspections of fire protection equipment to promptly identify and resolve issues, thereby enhancing the maintenance efficiency of fire protection facilities in chemical enterprises.
3.4 Enhance the awareness of fire safety personnel.
From an objective standpoint, the fundamental purpose of fire safety management for chemical enterprises is to eliminate potential fire hazards at their inception. However, this requires the collective effort of all personnel within the chemical enterprise. Many fire safety incidents in chemical enterprises are preventable, therefore, it is essential to continuously strengthen the safety awareness and fire-related professional knowledge of production and management personnel. Fire safety regulatory departments should regularly organize training for employees in chemical enterprises, focusing on specific areas where fire hazards are most likely to occur, based on the actual production conditions of the chemical enterprise, and continuously reinforcing the accident prevention awareness of production and management personnel. Furthermore, it is crucial to leverage the internet, social media, WeChat, and short video platforms to regularly disseminate safety and fire-related knowledge to all production and management personnel, ensuring that fire safety awareness and knowledge are deeply ingrained in the minds of all personnel in chemical production and management. This should be done through dynamic updates of fire safety knowledge to effectively enhance the overall fire safety level of chemical enterprises.
4 Remarks
In conclusion, while chemical products undergo rigorous quality checks before entering the market and are generally safe for everyday use, the production process itself presents significant risks due to the corrosive, flammable, and toxic nature of many raw materials, as well as the high-temperature and high-pressure conditions typically found in chemical production environments. Any lapses in safety procedures during production can easily lead to severe fire or explosion incidents. Therefore, fire safety management must focus on establishing and maintaining comprehensive fire safety management systems for chemical enterprises, optimizing plant layouts, and strengthening the safety awareness of fire personnel. This requires a scientifically sound and effective approach to fire safety management to ensure the safe production and operation of chemical enterprises.
References:
[1] Yang Wei. Key Focuses of Fire Safety Supervision Inspections for Chemical Enterprises [J]. Chemical Management, 2022 (24): 97-100.
[2] Zhu Jianguo. Key Standards in Fire Safety Supervision for Petrochemical Enterprises [J]. Chemical Industry Management, 2022 (24): 109-112.
This article is reprinted from "Chemical Management" magazine, June 2023.