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Sinopec summoned by Ministry of Emergency Management due to recent accidents
Published: Jun 20, 2022 11:53 PM
A Sinopec gas station in Shanghai Photo: IC
A Sinopec gas station in Shanghai File Photo: IC

China's Ministry of Emergency Management summoned the oil giant Sinopec on Monday in response to the recent spate of production safety accidents and increased safety risks in enterprises belonging to the Sinopec Group.

During the summon, the ministry noted that Sinopec has experienced many accidents in recent years. During the national production safety inspection in June this year, two fatal accidents occurred in its branches in Guangdong and Shanghai, seriously impacting the people's sense of safety and arousing extremely disproportionate high concerns in society that impact the image of the central backbone enterprise.

The company was required to face the safety loopholes during production, and reflect on the problems revealed by the accidents, including the ageing of equipment and facilities and weak safety awareness, in a bid to reduce accident risks.

On Saturday morning, an ethylene glycol plant operated by Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Company caught fire, killing one person and injuring another slightly.

Emergency authorities in Beijing and Shanghai decided to carry out citywide inspections from Sunday on companies dealing with hazardous chemical to identify potential risks, focusing on safety when handling hazardous chemicals and the implementation of safety management systems.