One person died! A fall from height safety accident occurred in Ordos City, Inner Mongolia. The investigation report has been released: the cause of the accident has been disclosed, and multiple people have been held accountable.

Copied from: Zongan Online

Around 6:00 p.m. on August 4, 2024, at the north side of the intersection of Salura Road and Wujia Road in the Kangbashi District of Ordos City, a high-voltage transmission line incident occurred in which construction personnel fell from a utility pole. The incident resulted in 1 death and direct economic losses of 2.029877 million yuan.

After receiving the accident report, the People’s Government of Kangbashi District promptly established an accident investigation team composed of relevant departments and units, including the District Development and Reform Commission, the District Discipline Inspection Commission, the District People’s Procuratorate, the District Emergency Management Bureau, the District Public Security Branch, the District Federation of Trade Unions, the District Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, and others, and also hired an expert group to participate in the investigation. The investigation team, in accordance with the principles of “scientific and rigorous, lawful and compliant, seeking truth from facts, and focusing on practical effectiveness,” as well as the “four not to be left uninvestigated” principle, carried out procedures such as on-site inspections, investigation and evidence collection, document review, and comprehensive analysis to determine the incident timeline, causes, casualties, and direct economic losses, analyze the responsibilities of the relevant units and individuals involved in the incident, and put forward specific rectification recommendations and prevention measures for the issues exposed by the accident.

At 6:00 a.m. on August 4, 2024, the person in charge of the on-site construction, Liao, held a meeting to deploy that day’s work tasks. After the meeting, he led three people—Yang, Cao, and Li—to reach the 110KV Lianqing line utility pole in Kangbashi District to carry out maintenance work. During the period, the work was paused due to rain. Around 4:00 p.m., when the rain stopped, Liao led Yang, Cao, and Li to conduct construction at pole No. 0110. After arranging the work, he left the site to inspect other construction sites. Yang and Cao climbed onto pole No. 0110 to perform maintenance and replace insulators. There was no specific division of tasks; Li was on the ground responsible for on-site safety supervision and for passing materials. After Yang and Cao first climbed to point A at the top of the pole and fixed the hand chain block, they sequentially replaced the insulators at points A, B, and C. The construction was completed around 6:00 p.m. Yang returned to point A to get the hand chain block, while Cao prepared to descend from point C. At this time, Yang heard a heavy object hit the ground; afterward, he saw that Cao had already fallen to the ground, lying still on his back facing upward. Seeing this, Li quickly ran onto the road to seek help. Line patrol personnel who learned of the incident rushed to the scene and immediately called the 120 emergency medical service number. After about 10 minutes, the 120 ambulance arrived. The doctors immediately carried out emergency measures at the scene for Cao, including an electrocardiogram, electric shock cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and fluid infusion. After approximately 70 minutes, Cao showed no vital signs. After being confirmed by the doctor to be dead, Yang was instructed to have Liao call 110 to report the incident.

Based on analysis from on-site inspections, questioning during investigation, and assessments by the public security authorities, it was determined that the direct cause of this accident was: Cao (the deceased) had a weak awareness of workplace safety production. During the process of descending the pole, he did not use a safety belt and safety rope as required, lost safety protection and fell to his death. This was the direct cause of the accident and also the main cause.

Persons and parties held responsible for the incident

1. Cao (the deceased) is a labor dispatch worker of Guang’an Penghui Construction Labor Co., Ltd. After the work of maintaining the pole No. 0110 and replacing insulators was completed, during the process of descending the pole he violated relevant provisions of the “Safety Work Regulations (Electric Power) — Line Sections.” He did not properly and compliantly use a safety belt during high-altitude work; his unapproved and reckless work led to death from a fall from a height. He bears direct responsibility and primary responsibility in the incident. In view of the fact that Cao has already died, no further responsibility will be pursued.

2. Li is a labor dispatch worker of Guang’an Penghui Construction Labor Co., Ltd. He served as the team leader at the work site for maintenance and replacement of insulators, and was responsible for safety supervision at the construction and maintenance site. He failed to provide adequate safety supervision, and therefore bears on-site regulatory responsibility in this accident.

3. Liao is a labor worker of Guang’an Penghui Construction Labor Co., Ltd., and was the person in charge of work at the construction site for maintenance and replacement of insulators. He failed to conscientiously perform patrol and inspection duties, and safety supervision was not in place; he bears direct management responsibility in this accident.

4. Zhang is the legal representative of Guang’an Penghui Construction Labor Co., Ltd. He failed to conscientiously perform his duties, neglected management, and the safety production system and on-site supervision and management relied entirely on Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd. The entrusted party, Zheng, from Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd., was responsible; in fact, it was equivalent to a labor dispatch arrangement. In this accident, he should bear responsibility for mismanagement and loss of control.

5. Lei is an employee of Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd. and was the project负责人 responsible for the maintenance and replacement of insulators. He did not conscientiously perform his duties and had inadequate supervision and management; in this accident he bears direct management responsibility.

6. Zheng is an employee of Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd. and serves as the authorized person in charge of the company’s engineering project in the Ordos region. According to the principle that “when one manages production, one must also manage safety,” he did not organize safety risk identification and prevention and control for high-altitude dangerous operations, and supervision and management were not in place. In this accident, he bears direct leadership responsibility.

7. Wang is the person responsible for safety production of Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd. He failed to adequately oversee the establishment of the company’s safety production system and its implementation. In this accident, he bears leadership responsibility.

8. Wang, as the legal representative of Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd., had loopholes in the work related to safety assurance, including the construction of safety production systems, implementation of responsibilities, safety education and training, and inspection and identification of safety hazards. The fact that no review was strict enough regarding whether Zheng, the authorized project person in charge in the Ordos region, had no safety production qualification certificate should be treated as a failure to review strictly. In this accident, he bears primary leadership responsibility.

Recommendations on handling the responsible persons and responsible units

(I) Recommendations on handling the responsible persons

1. Cao (the deceased), a labor dispatch worker of Guang’an Penghui Construction Labor Co., Ltd. After the maintenance of pole No. 0110 and the work of replacing insulators were completed, during the process of descending the pole he violated relevant provisions of the “Safety Work Regulations (Electric Power) — Line Sections.” He used the safety belt incorrectly and non-compliantly during high-altitude work; his unapproved and reckless work led to death from a fall from a height. In this accident, he bears direct responsibility and primary responsibility. Considering that he died in the accident, he is exempt from being held accountable.

2. Li, a labor dispatch worker of Guang’an Penghui Construction Labor Co., Ltd., serves as the team leader at the work site for maintenance and replacement of insulators and is responsible for safety supervision at the construction and maintenance site. He failed to provide adequate safety supervision at the work site, and did not promptly stop Cao (the deceased) from engaging in illegal and reckless work behavior. He bears on-site regulatory responsibility for this accident. It is recommended, pursuant to Article 20, Paragraph 1 of the “Regulations on Fines for Penalties Related to Production Safety Accidents,” that administrative penalties be imposed in accordance with the law.

3. Liao, a labor worker of Guang’an Penghui Construction Labor Co., Ltd., is the person in charge of work at the construction site for maintenance and replacement of insulators. He failed to conscientiously perform patrol and inspection duties, safety supervision was not in place, and he bears direct management responsibility for this accident. It is recommended, pursuant to Article 20, Paragraph 1 of the “Regulations on Fines for Penalties Related to Production Safety Accidents,” that administrative penalties be imposed in accordance with the law.

4. Zhang, legal representative of Guang’an Penghui Construction Labor Co., Ltd., failed to perform safety production duties adequately and was lax in management. The safety production system and on-site supervision and management mainly relied on Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd., whose entrusted party, Zheng, was responsible; in fact, this was equivalent to a labor dispatch arrangement. In this accident, he bears responsibility for mismanagement and loss of control. It is recommended, pursuant to Article 19, Paragraph 1 of the “Regulations on Fines for Penalties Related to Production Safety Accidents,” that administrative penalties be imposed in accordance with the law.

5. Lei, an employee of Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd., is the project负责人. He did not conscientiously perform his duties, supervision and management were not in place, and in this accident he bears direct management responsibility. It is recommended, pursuant to Article 20, Paragraph 1 of the “Regulations on Fines for Penalties Related to Production Safety Accidents,” that administrative penalties be imposed in accordance with the law.

6. Zheng, an employee of Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd., is the authorized person in charge of the engineering project in the Ordos region for that company. He failed to organize safety risk identification and prevention and control for high-altitude dangerous operations, safety production supervision and management were not in place, and he bears direct leadership responsibility for this accident. It is recommended, pursuant to Article 20, Paragraph 1 of the “Regulations on Fines for Penalties Related to Production Safety Accidents,” that administrative penalties be imposed in accordance with the law.

7. Wang, the person responsible for safety production at Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd., had inadequate oversight of the company’s safety production system development and its implementation. In this accident, he bears leadership responsibility. It is recommended, pursuant to Article 20, Paragraph 1 of the “Regulations on Fines for Penalties Related to Production Safety Accidents,” that administrative penalties be imposed in accordance with the law.

8. Wang, the legal representative of Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd., had insufficiently strict management in safety assurance-related work such as the establishment of safety production systems, implementation of responsibilities, safety education and training, and inspection and identification of safety hazards. In addition, the review was not strict enough regarding whether Zheng, the authorized person in charge of the Ordos regional project, obtained a safety production qualification certificate. In this accident, he bears primary leadership responsibility. It is recommended, pursuant to Article 19, Paragraph 1 of the “Regulations on Fines for Penalties Related to Production Safety Accidents,” that administrative penalties be imposed in accordance with the law.

(II) Recommendations on handling the relevant responsible units

1. Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd.’s safety production responsibility system is not健全, and it did not conscientiously implement the safety production responsibility system, and safety education and training had a certain degree of formality. During the project implementation, it subcontracted the project to Guang’an Penghui Construction Labor Co., Ltd., but the latter is the actual management company of the project. Safety production supervision was not in place. After the accident occurred, it did not promptly and truthfully report it to the local competent industry authorities and the local emergency management department. It is recommended, pursuant to Article 14, Paragraph 2 of the “Regulations on Fines for Penalties Related to Production Safety Accidents,” that administrative penalties be imposed in accordance with the law.

2. During the project implementation, Guang’an Penghui Construction Labor Co., Ltd. mainly dispatched labor personnel. It carried out Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd.’s safety responsibility system, safety management system, etc., accepted the management of Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd., and it is recommended that this accident be exempt from punishment. The company should draw lessons, strengthen safety education, and strictly prevent similar accidents from happening again.

3. Ordos City Power Supply and Demand Engineering Service Co., Ltd., as the project contracting party, after sub-contracting part of the project labor to Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd., did not follow up promptly during construction. Considering that, after learning of the accident, the company actively cooperated with Sichuan Shenghui Construction and Installation Engineering Co., Ltd. to carry out all kinds of follow-up and consolation work, making every effort to eliminate negative impacts, and also made a deep self-criticism to the People’s Government of the district regarding this accident, it is recommended that this accident be exempt from punishment. The company should draw lessons, strengthen safety production education and training, and firmly prevent similar accidents from happening again.

Source: Kangbashi District People’s Government website

Edited by: Mao Shubing

Review editor: Xie Faju

Approved by: Guo Chunyan

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