Safety a 'mess' at plant where 120 died
Source: Agencies |
June 7, 2013, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SAFETY management at the Chinese firm whose poultry processing plant caught fire earlier this week, killing 120 people and leaving 77 injured, was a "total mess" and two senior executives have been detained by the authorities.
The local government is also to blame for failing to fulfil its safety oversight role at Jilin Baoyuanfeng Poultry Co, the small feed and poultry producer that owns the plant in the northeastern province of Jilin, Xinhua news agency reported yesterday.
"As the main body of work safety enforcement, the company bears unshirkable responsibility for the accident, while the government is also responsible for its management and supervision duties," Xinhua cited Yang Dongliang, head of the State Administration of Work Safety, as saying.
An initial investigation showed that work safety management at the company was a "total mess," Yang added.
Xinhua said the company never carried out evacuation drills or trained staff in safety awareness, adding that escaping the blaze had been hampered by locked or blocked emergency exits.
"Many people died near the gate," Yang said.
"The accident has revealed that local governments and related authorities failed to carry out their responsibility of supervision and give thorough and effective checks," he said.
Authorities are holding the company's board chairman Jia Yushan and general manager Zhang Yushen while the firm's bank account has been frozen.
Yang also ordered safety checks across China, especially in risky sectors such as mining, transport and chemical manufacturing, the report added.
Workers in the factory, where the fire spread rapidly after an apparent chemical leak, were unable to escape as only one of the building's doors was open, with other exits locked, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported.
The doors were locked to prevent workers taking toilet breaks, China Central Television said, citing factory staff.
"It's too early to say for certain whether the emergency exits were locked or not," Yang said. "But one thing is for sure: they could not be opened."
"Hundreds of workers were gathered in two large workshops where there were not sufficient safety measures," he said.
The local government is also to blame for failing to fulfil its safety oversight role at Jilin Baoyuanfeng Poultry Co, the small feed and poultry producer that owns the plant in the northeastern province of Jilin, Xinhua news agency reported yesterday.
"As the main body of work safety enforcement, the company bears unshirkable responsibility for the accident, while the government is also responsible for its management and supervision duties," Xinhua cited Yang Dongliang, head of the State Administration of Work Safety, as saying.
An initial investigation showed that work safety management at the company was a "total mess," Yang added.
Xinhua said the company never carried out evacuation drills or trained staff in safety awareness, adding that escaping the blaze had been hampered by locked or blocked emergency exits.
"Many people died near the gate," Yang said.
"The accident has revealed that local governments and related authorities failed to carry out their responsibility of supervision and give thorough and effective checks," he said.
Authorities are holding the company's board chairman Jia Yushan and general manager Zhang Yushen while the firm's bank account has been frozen.
Yang also ordered safety checks across China, especially in risky sectors such as mining, transport and chemical manufacturing, the report added.
Workers in the factory, where the fire spread rapidly after an apparent chemical leak, were unable to escape as only one of the building's doors was open, with other exits locked, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported.
The doors were locked to prevent workers taking toilet breaks, China Central Television said, citing factory staff.
"It's too early to say for certain whether the emergency exits were locked or not," Yang said. "But one thing is for sure: they could not be opened."
"Hundreds of workers were gathered in two large workshops where there were not sufficient safety measures," he said.
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