On August 28, the Ministry of Transport issued the "Notice on Further Strengthening Dangerous Goods Management (DGM) in Port Operations" (referred to as the "Notice"), which requires us to deeply learn from the lessons of the severe explosions in Beirut port area of Lebanon and related dangerous chemicals explosions, and to further strengthen the safety management of dangerous goods in port operations.
The "Notice" stresses the need to further raise the awareness of the extreme importance of work safety, fully implement the safe production responsibility system, strictly adhere to the red line for production safety, and resolutely curb the occurrence of serious accidents.
As required in the Notice, the investigation and management of potential safety risks in port operations of dangerous goods should be carried out strictly and practically, Class 1 dangerous goods (explosives) and ammonium nitrate substances should be strictly controled at the source of port oporations, the unqualified safety conditions of workplaces should be thoroughly rectified, and port handling and storage procedures and regulations should strictly implemented. The Notice also requires a stricter regular testing system for storage tanks, as well as a stricter safety monitoring and emergency duty of storage tank operations. The safety management of key links and important positions should be enhanced. Stricter implementation is required for ship/shore safety check, special operation safety management, internal approval procedures, and safety management of dangerous goods loading and sampling at port.
The "Notice" requires that the rectification of prominent problems should be combined with the three-year action of the special rectification of safe production in the port field. Every one concerned is required to seek both temporary and permanent solutions to the problems, focus on priorities, address inadequacies, shore up areas of weakness, lay a solid foundation, and accelerate the establishment of a dual prevention mechanism for safe production. Efforts should be made to improve the essential safety level of port enterprises, to enhance the ability of safety supervision, major risk control, and emergency rescue.