1. No areas where people gather shall be established within the areas designated for smelting, casting, and crane operations
(1) Major accident hazards in metallurgical enterprises: Six types of areas where people gather—including conference rooms, activity rooms, break rooms, control rooms, shift handover rooms, and changing rooms (including shower facilities)—as well as workstations for cold (or hot) repairs of molten iron and steel tanks located within the floor areas of bays where molten iron, molten steel, and molten slag are hoisted.
(2) The regulation stating that “no areas where personnel gather shall be established within the scope of smelting, casting, and crane operations” is based on the following critical safety considerations:
1) During the smelting process, the metal inside the furnace is in a molten state at high temperatures, which can lead to dangerous situations such as spattering or explosions. During casting, the flow of molten metal is unpredictable; any leakage or spattering can cause severe burns or even life-threatening injuries to nearby personnel.
2) During crane operations, heavy loads being lifted may unexpectedly fall or swing. If people are gathered below, this can easily result in serious injuries or fatalities.
2.To ensure rapid shutoff of the water supply to the induction coil, monitoring and alarm devices for pressure, flow differential, and temperature must be installed for the cooling water
(1) The cooling water system for the induction coils of a medium-frequency furnace shall be equipped with monitoring and alarm devices for inlet water pressure, the difference between inlet and outlet flow rates, and the outlet temperature of each circuit. The monitoring and alarm signals for inlet water pressure and the outlet temperature of each circuit shall independently trigger an interlock to cut off the medium-frequency power supply. Historical monitoring data shall be accessible for review, and alarm signals shall be installed in locations on the furnace platform where operators can easily observe and respond to them. The monitoring and alarm system shall be equipped with an uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
(2) The primary purpose of installing rapid shut-off devices for the induction coil inlet pipes, as well as monitoring and alarm systems for cooling water pressure, flow rate differential, and temperature, is to enhance the safety of medium-frequency furnace operation, promptly detect and address potential issues in the cooling system, and prevent hazardous situations such as equipment failure, fire, or even explosion caused by insufficient cooling.
3.A partition wall must be installed between the power supply unit and the furnace; any openings through walls or floors must be completely sealed
(1) When the capacitor cabinet, power supply unit, and furnace body of a medium-frequency furnace are located on the same floor, a partition wall shall be installed between them, and any openings through which power lines pass through walls or floors shall be sealed (except for integrated furnace bases or open-type furnace bases where the furnace body, capacitors, and control cabinet are arranged in an open configuration).
(2) Completely sealing wall and floor penetrations effectively prevents the transfer of dust, debris, flames, and high-temperature gases between different areas, ensuring the normal operation of power supply units and reducing the likelihood of safety incidents such as fires and short circuits. It also helps maintain stable operating conditions, such as temperature and pressure, inside the furnace.
4.The furnace platform must have two or more emergency escape routes
It is an extremely important safety measure to provide two or more emergency escape routes in a furnace room. This arrangement offers more evacuation options in an emergency. If one escape route is blocked by fire, smoke, or obstacles, people can quickly switch to another route, increasing the likelihood of a successful evacuation.
5.Facilities such as emergency water supplies, emergency power sources, and emergency lighting must be provided
(1) Enterprises shall have an emergency backup water source for furnace cooling that can automatically switch over in the event of an interruption in the normal cooling water supply.
(2) Workplace lighting (obstacle lighting, emergency lighting, including backup lighting, safety lighting, and evacuation lighting, etc.) and the minimum illuminance in work areas shall comply with the provisions of GB 50034.
(3) Smelting furnaces, casting machines (excluding crystallizers used in deep-well casting processes for aluminum processing), and heating furnaces that utilize water-cooling systems shall be equipped with an emergency water supply.
(4) Emergency power supplies shall ensure the continuous operation of critical equipment and systems—such as emergency communication equipment, fire protection systems, and safety monitoring systems—during power outages to maintain normal emergency response and rescue operations.
(5) Emergency lighting shall provide necessary illumination for personnel evacuation and rescue operations during power outages or in low-light emergency situations, helping people quickly locate safety exits and preventing panic and chaos.
6.Emergency storage facilities must be installed beneath the furnace, in front of the furnace, and in the pouring area; no standing water is permitted
(1) Major accident hazards in metallurgical enterprises: Water accumulation in six types of areas, including accident pits and slag pits beneath furnaces in smelting, refining, and casting production zones during operations, as well as forepit platforms, furnace base areas, and overhead and ground transportation routes within the impact range of molten metal leaks and splashes.
(2) Emergency containment facilities are established to rapidly collect and contain molten metal, slag, or other hazardous substances that may leak during an emergency, thereby preventing further spread and minimizing harm. These facilities must have sufficient capacity and structural strength to withstand high temperatures and potential impacts.
(3) Standing water is prohibited because it will rapidly vaporize upon contact with high-temperature molten metal, causing an explosion and resulting in extremely severe consequences. Additionally, standing water may impede the movement of operators, increasing the risk of slipping and falling.
7.Aluminum-shell medium-frequency furnaces with a nominal capacity of 0.25 tons or more and without a magnetic yoke shall not be used
(1) Core-less (≥0.25 tons) aluminum-clad medium-frequency induction furnaces are production equipment that has been explicitly phased out by the state.
(2) Chapter 7 of the “Standard Requirements for Foundry Enterprises” (T/CFA0310021—2019), which addresses production equipment in the foundry industry, explicitly requires that enterprises shall not use production equipment explicitly phased out by the state, such as core-less power-frequency induction furnaces and aluminum-shell medium-frequency induction furnaces without magnetic yokes with a capacity of 0.25 tons or more.