Strengthen the energy isolation defense line to safeguard the safety of maintenance operations

Strengthening the energy isolation defense line and safeguarding the safety of maintenance operations - Promoting the transformation of safety governance from post-event handling to pre-event prevention through the implementation of standards in multiple regions
"At electrical, mechanical, chemical energy... All dangerous energies must be completely isolated and verified before maintenance can commence!" At the safety promotion meeting for the printing industry in Tongzhou District, Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, law enforcement officers from the emergency management department demonstrated through simulation to over 150 enterprise managers the key points of energy isolation operation. Currently, from chemical industrial parks to manufacturing workshops, from county-level promotion to industry-specific special rectification, energy isolation, as the core means of preventing equipment maintenance accidents, is becoming the "first line of defense" for safety governance, promoting the transformation from "post-event handling" to "pre-event prevention". 

Standard first: Clarifying the "full energy coverage" operation norms
"Energy isolation is not just about simply closing valves and cutting off power supply; it is necessary to implement full-process control of all dangerous energies such as electrical energy, mechanical energy, thermal energy, and chemical energy." A relevant expert from the China Chemical Safety Association introduced that previously, due to incomplete isolation and inadequate verification, stored energy was accidentally released, resulting in accidents. Therefore, group standards such as "Guidelines for the Implementation of Energy Isolation in Chemical Enterprises" (T/CCSAS 013-2022) were successively issued, clearly defining the terminology, responsibilities, and operation procedures of energy isolation, providing standardized guidance for enterprises. 
In terms of system design, multiple regions have implemented the "full energy identification + graded isolation" model. Sichuan Province's Cangxi County issued a special implementation plan, requiring enterprises to strictly follow the "seven-step operation method": accurately identify the energy sources of equipment, close machinery, physically isolate, place locks and labels, release stored energy, conduct isolation verification, and remove the locks. This forms a closed-loop management. For different energy types, detailed isolation measures are specified: electrical isolation requires cutting off power and discharging, pipeline systems use "double valves plus blind plates" for isolation, mechanical devices implement physical blocking or anchoring to ensure "one type of energy corresponds to one isolation plan". At the same time, the principle of "one person one lock, dedicated lock for dedicated use" is clearly stipulated, and it is strictly prohibited for multiple people to share lock keys. The labels must clearly indicate the equipment name, locker, person in charge, operation time, and emergency contact information, allowing for traceability and verification of responsibilities. 

Standards for special operation scenarios are even more stringent. According to the requirements of the "Safety Specifications for Special Operations in Chemical Production Units" (GB 30871), operations such as hot work and confined space must not rely solely on closing valves for isolation; reliable methods such as physical barriers must be adopted to prevent dangerous materials or energy from flowing into the operation area. Tongzhou District also requires printing enterprises to establish electronic maintenance and inspection ledgers for equipment, incorporating the implementation of energy isolation into the ledger management, achieving "a plan before the operation, monitoring during the operation, and records after the operation".