The new department will assume broad oversight responsibilities as part of a broader government restructuring.

By Paul A. Davies and R. Andrew Westgate

China’s Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) has announced the establishment of a new department responsible for the safety, supervision, and management of hazardous chemicals. The MEM replaced the former State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS), and took over responsibility for product safety relating to fireworks, pharmaceuticals, and the chemical industry.

The creation of the new department reflects increasing focus on chemical safety after the 2015 explosion at the Port of Tianjin, which killed 173 people and injured 797. More recently, an explosion at a chemical factory in the city of Yibin, Sichuan province in July killed 19 people. These incidents highlight that hazardous material storage remains a challenge in China.

Zhang Xingkai, the president of the China Academy of Safety Science and Technology noted that in the four years between 2011 and 2015, approximately US$89.4 billion was lost due to workplace accidents. The MEM was established in March 2018 in order to respond more effectively to crises like the Tianjin and Yibin explosions. With overall responsibility for safe chemical production and work environments, the MEM will provide a unified system focused on disaster prevention.