The 24th annual “Workplace Safety Month” in China is centered around the theme: “Everyone talks safety, everyone knows emergency response — identify hazards around you.” According to official statistics, there were 3,415 workplace accidents and 3,208 fatalities nationwide in Q1 2025 alone. Behind these alarming numbers lies a stark truth: workplace safety remains a serious and complex challenge.
At its core, safety means proactively identifying and controlling risks to prevent incidents. China’s revised Work Safety Law (Article 21) emphasizes the importance of establishing dual preventive mechanisms: graded risk control and hazard investigation and rectification. This approach ensures that risks are managed before they turn into tragedies. However, when hidden dangers lurk in daily operations, only proactive participation from all employees and systematic inspections can build a solid line of defense.
So, which risks are most often overlooked? We break them down across four critical areas: human behavior, equipment & facilities, work environment, and management systems.
01. Management Gaps: Why Does the First Line of Safety Fail?
Most factory accidents stem not from bad luck, but from long-standing systemic failures in safety governance. These “silent” risks — like incomplete licensing, unclear safety responsibilities, and poorly enforced procedures — may not directly cause an incident, but they erode your safety system over time.
Common management loopholes include:
– Missing or expired safety licenses
– Lack of a clear safety responsibility system (no specific roles assigned or enforced)
– Inadequate safety measures in hazardous areas (e.g., missing fixed or interlocked guards, poor integration of safety features in design stages)
– Incomplete operating procedures or emergency plans that fail to address real-world risks like mechanical failures or unexpected energy releases
– Insufficient or poorly targeted safety training (e.g., new hires skip 3-level safety education; unlicensed workers handle special equipment)
– Weak emergency preparedness (few or no drills, missing supplies, ineffective plans)
– Poor occupational health management (no regular checks for hazardous substances, no health records for workers)
02. Faulty Equipment: How Small Failures Lead to Big Disasters
Equipment-related hazards are one of the most direct triggers of industrial accidents. As automation increases, so do new types of risks. For example, robots operating without protective barriers or safety fencing can become a serious hazard rather than an efficiency boost.
These risks are often sudden and severe, leaving little time to react. This is why regular maintenance and intrinsically safe design are essential.
Typical equipment-related hazards include:
– Faulty protective devices:
Exposed rotating parts (gears, pulleys)
Overused or malfunctioning lifting devices, frayed wire ropes
– Poor maintenance:
Uninspected pressure vessels, broken safety valves
Worn-out components (e.g., leaking gearboxes, corroded shafts)
– Special equipment mismanagement:
Unregistered forklifts, overdue elevator inspections
Faulty boiler indicators, out-of-range pressure gauges
– Electrical hazards:
Ungrounded distribution boxes, haphazard temporary wiring
Non-explosion-proof devices used in explosive zones
03. Dangerous Environments: The Invisible Killers of Safety
Environmental hazards are often subtle and cumulative, making them harder to detect — until it’s too late. Ignoring seemingly minor issues like ventilation, lighting, or humidity can lead to secondary accidents such as fires, poisoning, or slips.
Common examples of environmental risks:
Poor spatial planning:
– Blocked emergency exits, unclear signage
– Flammable material stored too close to ignition sources
Physical hazards:
– High dust levels (e.g., magnesium, aluminum dust not cleaned promptly)
– Lack of cooling in high-temperature areas
Neglected danger zones:
– Confined spaces not properly ventilated or tested before work
– Use of non-explosion-proof phones in hazardous areas
- 0 Unsafe Human Behavior: Why Regret Often Comes Too Late
Studies show that 70–75% of workplace accidents are caused by human error. Unsafe behavior often stems from weak safety awareness, poor training, or physical and mental stress.
Frequent unsafe practices include:
Violation of procedures:
– Repairing equipment without shutting it down
– Clearing blockages by hand instead of using tools
Missing personal protective equipment (PPE):
– No goggles during grinding, no acid-resistant gloves during pickling
– No safety harness used during work at height
Neglect of discipline:
– Working under the influence, sleeping on the job, unauthorized absences
– Overloading equipment to meet tight deadlines
