Probing Safety Problems of China's Small and Medium Size Chemical Enterprises  
By Liu Yanping, Qu Funian, Chen Jiufang, Ren Dianzhong, Tian Min, the Chemical Registry Center of the State Administration of Work Safety   
(Continuing CCR2008 NO. 36 Page12)

II. Suggestions for strengthening safety management of small and medium size chemical enterprises  

1. China should further complete regulations and implement a responsibility system for work safety

The "Safety Base Management Guidance of Strengthening Small and Medium Sized Chemical Enterprises" issued by the Work Safety Committee (WSC) under the State Council will be implemented. The enterprises should improve the regulations and safety operation specifications based on a work safety responsibility system, and clarify the safety responsibility of each person, from top management to the lowest level. The safety management system and operation specifications should be prepared according to company's own characteristics, with specific details and clear implications safety, and easy to comply with in actual operation. In addition, in order to avoid a mere formality of operation safety and safety management system, each enterprise should set up an effective incentive and evaluation mechanism for regular supervision and assessment, ensuring work safety responsibility.

2. The government should strengthen the training education and improve the quality of security personnel

The government should establish a training, evaluation and management mechanism to regulate the safety education and training, in order to improve the quality of training and evaluation and the overall safety performance of employees.
    (1) The main managers/owners, work safety manager and special operation personnel must all have sufficient and qualified training and education in accordance with relevant state laws and regulations, and acquire the related certification.
    (2) The company should carry out full safety education and training for all employees, and a wide range of education and training of safety awareness and safety operation skills for staff, improving the staff's safety awareness and job operation skills in business.

3. Relying more on technological upgrading to improve enterprises' natural safety level

    (1) The government should encourage small and medium size chemical companies to update and renovate outdated technology and equipment, to improve on-site operating conditions, put an end to accidents brought about by deficiencies and problems with equipment and facilities
    (2) The government should actively guide small and medium sized chemical enterprises to use new technologies, new processes, new equipment and new materials with advanced technology and good security, relying on technological progress to raise the level of automation and technology, improving the enterprises' capability of resisting and controlling risks.

4. Strengthen emergency management

A practical plan for emergency response to accidents should be developed by each company, with the appropriate emergency rescue instruments, taking effective training and exercises of contingency plans. And the company also should amend and update contingency plans, strengthening the emergency guarantee capability, in accordance with evaluations of emergency drills and changes of circumstances.

5. Comprehensively standardize safety

Small and medium-sized chemical enterprises should standardize safety comprehensively, using scientific management methods and means to promote disciplined work safety management and continuous improvement. Based on risk management, the emphasis of work safety will be shifted from reaction to prevention. The company should emphasize management of potential accidents; thus incidents will be nipped in the bud.

6. Local government and related departments should strengthen the support and supervision of work safety on small and medium size chemical enterprises

    (1) Local government and related departments should identify the detailed skill requirements and certification standard to the owners, top managers, safety personnel, technical directors, full-time safety managers, as well as the operation personnel who are involved in production, stockpiling, use or disposal of dangerous chemicals in small and medium size chemical enterprises - particularly the dangerous chemicals manufacturers - regarding personnel capabilities, level of education, chemical experience, the education, training and assessment of safety laws and regulations, safety management knowledge for dangerous chemicals.
    (2) Local governments and related departments should strengthen safety supervision of approval of projects, engineering design, evaluation of safety, construction, installation and debugging, wet commissioning, and other aspects of safety regulation to the small and medium size chemical enterprises, and strictly administer safety review to prevent a new company with small scale and low technology from entering into the market below work safety requirements. Safety administration departments must not grant safety permits to enterprises that do not meet the conditions of work safety.
    (3) Reduce the problems that are due to insufficient daily safety supervision through promoting self-inspection & safety reporting systems. Led by the provincial-level safety supervision departments to make preparation of various types of safety self-inspection table for small and medium size chemical enterprises, the enterprises should monitor themselves according to the requirements of a table, and submit self-check reports to the territorial government and the safety administration department on a regular basis.
    (4) The government should establish a reform fund for potential accidents of small and medium size chemical enterprises to help them protect against potential accidents with precautionary measures.
   (5) The government should establish a variety of technical support.
    Given the current conditions, it is suggested that China implement a system of governmental advice and consultation for work safety, identify experienced experts from the provincial and develop a database of municipal work safety experts to give guidance on specific issues, or encourage trade associations with the necessary expertise to provide for-pay professional consulting services.
    (6) The government should establish technology centers to enhance the exchange, learning and exhibitions of technology information, and other regional cooperation - on one hand, through extensive collection, processing and provision of scientific and technological, economic and market information, new technologies and scientific research can be promoted, and on the other hand, through smoothing the channels for spreading technological information, comprehensive information consulting services can be provided for small and medium size chemical companies. Various types of technology development center should be built at the same time according to the differentiation of industry, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Exchange Center. As an exchange agency of national or regional scientific research institutions and small business, it can make up for the lack of communication and understanding in the industry, playing an active role in bringing scientific research into practical application as soon as possible.

(7) The industry associations should play an important role in supplementing government. Sound trade associations are a good way to promote the development of SMEs. Through industry ass