Suffocation accident
Suffocation accident refers to an accident in which a person suddenly faints or even dies due to lack of oxygen. This type of accident usually occurs in an unventilated or low-oxygen environment, such as abandoned tunnels, shafts, culverts, underground pipelines, etc. Common causes of suffocation accidents include leakage of harmful gases, pipeline cross-materials, large amounts of harmful gas deposition and volatilization, or low oxygen content in the local environment due to nitrogen sealing.
01 Suffocation due to leakage of inert gas
Common gases: nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc.
Cause: Inert gas itself is non-toxic, but a large amount of leakage in a confined space will reduce the oxygen content in the air, causing personnel to suffocate due to lack of oxygen. For example, during cold storage maintenance operations, nitrogen leaked into the confined maintenance space, and the maintenance personnel did not notice it in time, resulting in suffocation.
02 Suffocation due to volatilization of organic solvents
Common gases: certain high-concentration organic solvent vapors (such as gasoline vapor).
Cause: After the organic solvent evaporates, a high concentration of vapor is formed in a confined space, which will squeeze out the oxygen in the air and cause people to suffocate. For example, in an underground parking lot, a large amount of gasoline leaks and evaporates, and people may suffocate due to lack of oxygen after entering.
Alarm bells ringing: prevention is the key
The occurrence of these industrial gas accidents is not accidental, but the result of multiple factors. From enterprises to regulatory departments, to front-line operators, negligence in every link may become the fuse of the accident. Therefore, prior prevention is crucial.
The prevention of industrial gas accidents requires the joint efforts of enterprises, regulatory departments and operators to establish a comprehensive safety guarantee system from multiple aspects such as systems, equipment, and personnel.
Formulate a safety system: Enterprises should formulate a complete gas safety management system, clarify the safety responsibilities of various departments and personnel, and standardize gas operation procedures.
Strengthen safety supervision: The safety management department should strengthen supervision and inspection of gas use sites, and promptly discover and correct violations. Personnel and departments that violate safety regulations should be dealt with seriously.
Regular equipment inspection: Regularly inspect equipment involving gas (such as pipelines, valves, containers, etc.) to promptly discover and repair leaks. For example, conduct a comprehensive inspection of gas pipelines once a month and use professional detection instruments to detect whether there is a leak.
Install gas detection devices: Correctly install and use gas detection equipment such as combustible gas detectors, toxic gas detectors, gas alarm controllers, etc. in the workplace to monitor the gas leakage concentration in the work area in real time. When the leakage concentration of the gas to be measured reaches the preset value of the instrument, it can immediately alarm, and can also link the action of equipment such as fans and solenoid valves to nip the danger in the bud in time.
Smart industrial safety monitoring platform: Upgrade on the basis of installing gas detection devices, and lay out a smart industrial safety supervision platform.
Chicheng Electric’s smart industrial monitoring platform can build a safe, stable and reliable data communication network by monitoring the entire industrial park. Factories can build personalized and visualized data screens based on the platform, thereby realizing remote monitoring, automatic alarm, online management and data analysis of toxic, harmful and flammable gases in each monitoring station, effectively strengthening safety management level and response capabilities, and building a “three-in-one” protection system of “human defense + technical defense + physical defense” to ensure production safety, environmental safety and personnel safety.
Standardize operations and use portable gas detectors: Before entering confined spaces (such as sewage pools, underground pipelines, etc.), operators must conduct sufficient ventilation and use gas detectors to detect the concentration of harmful gases. Only after passing the test can they enter.
In addition, in terms of safety inspections and personal safety protection, professional gas detection equipment should also be used to monitor the leakage concentration of toxic and harmful gases in real time, and operations can only be carried out after ensuring the safety of the surrounding gas environment.
Safety knowledge training: Provide safety knowledge training to personnel involved in gas operations to enable them to understand the characteristics, hazards and emergency treatment methods of common gases.
For example, train employees on how to use gas equipment correctly, how to install and use gas detection devices correctly, how to identify the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, etc.
Correct use of protective equipment: Employees should receive relevant training before using personal protective equipment and master the correct use methods. During use, protective equipment must be worn and used in strict accordance with regulations.
Emergency drills: Organize emergency drills regularly to improve the emergency response capabilities of personnel. The drills include fire alarms, personnel evacuation, first aid, etc.
Preventing gas safety accidents requires joint efforts from enterprises, individuals and all sectors of society. Chicheng Electric will also continue to innovate and contribute to the safe production of enterprises, the happy life of residents, and the stable development of society!
