The General Office of the State Administration for Market Regulation ("SAMR") has recently issued the Circular on Further Intensifying the Detection and Elimination of Hidden Dangers of Special Equipment Related to Hazardous Chemicals (the "Circular").
The Circular states that, entities using special equipment related to hazardous chemicals shall fulfill their subject responsibilities for safety, put in place all safety management systems, and ensure safety management personnel and operators fulfill their own responsibilities for safety. Also, they shall improve the routine maintenance of such equipment and increase their inspections, to make sure the equipment run smoothly and safety accessories, meters and safety interlocking devices function well. Meanwhile, the Circular states that, authorities shall perform their duties in respect of territorial jurisdiction, and focus their attention in the near future on the supervisory spot checks of pressure vessels used to contain such inflammable, explosive, poisonous and harmful substances as the chloroethylene and liquidized natural gas, as well as pressure pipes thereof, and pay particular attention to inspecting efforts of enterprises' internal departments and staff members in charge of safety management for special equipment in performing their duties. Where authorities detect any hidden dangers, they shall order enterprises to eliminate the dangers; as to serious hidden dangers that it is difficult to cope with, they shall request the local office of work safety commission to supervise the elimination of the hidden dangers within a time limit.