Seven injured in Chinese factory dust explosion
30 November 2012
On November 27, a dust explosion in a hardware component factory in Bao’an District, Shenzhen, caused burn injuries to seven workers, four of whom were described as severe cases.
A report by Shenzhen Daily says a dense cloud of aluminum dust encountered static electricity, causing the explosion in a 15-square-meter area in the polishing workshop of the 3,000-square-meter, three-story factory.
"It felt like the whole factory was shaking when the explosion happened around 10:40 a.m.,” an unidentified factory worker said. “The explosion also set fire to some components.”
The worker said the explosion was so loud that he briefly lost his hearing.
The factory is in an industrial park in Songgang Subdistrict, mainly produces bicycle components and employs about 50 workers,local sources said.
The factory was punished earlier this year for failing to meet production safety standards. Bao’an officials have admitted loopholes in supervising the factory.
Improperly ventilated metal polishing dust can create safety risks for manufacturers of electronic products and bicycle and auto parts, the Shenzen daily noted.