[Role Models Around Us] Showcase of Outstanding Teams and Individuals in Workplace Safety

Recently, the Bureau (Group) issued a commendation document and convened the 2024 Safety and Environmental Protection Work Conference, during which it recognized outstanding collectives and individuals in workplace safety for 2023. Among the awardees, our institute was honored with the title of “Advanced Collective in Workplace Safety” for 2023; Li Zheng received the “Advanced Individual in Safety Management” award for 2023; and Zhai Dongliang was awarded the “Outstanding Site Safety Officer” honor for 2023. Additionally, the construction site of the Urban Geological Survey Project in the eastern part of Jinan’s New and Old Kinetic Energy Conversion Pilot Zone (Gaoguanzhai Subdistrict) and the construction site of the Well Groups Cai 21 and Cai 22 at Zhongyan Changjiang Salt Chemical Co., Ltd. were designated as “Standardized Safe Construction Sites” for 2023, while the work team responsible for the iron‑ore reconnaissance project in Dameng Village, Xueguantun Area, Qihe County, Shandong Province, was recognized as a “Red Flag Team for Workplace Safety” for 2023.

Let us take the advanced as our role model, firmly uphold the principles of safe and green development, rigorously implement the all‑staff safety production responsibility system, stay true to fundamentals while innovating, and forge ahead with determination, thereby providing a solid safety guarantee for the high‑quality development of our institute.

2023 “Advanced Collective in Work Safety” of the Bureau (Group)

Shandong Geological Exploration Institute of China Chemical Geology And Mining Bureau is a Level‑2 standardized enterprise for work safety approved by the Shandong Provincial Emergency Management Department. In 2023, it comprehensively fulfilled all safety and environmental protection targets set by the Bureau (Group), achieved excellent results in work‑safety assessments for many consecutive years while meeting its economic targets, and received high praise in every safety inspection conducted by the China Chemical Geology And Mining Bureau and the Bureau (Group). In recent years, the Shandong Institute has strengthened organizational leadership, consistently placing work safety on the agenda of Party Committee meetings and院长办公会 sessions, clearly defining key priorities, promptly making arrangements and deployments, and intensifying supervision, inspections, hazard identification and remediation, as well as publicity, warnings, and reminders. The implementation of principal responsibility has been incorporated as an important component of leading cadres’ performance reports. Quarterly safety committee meetings are convened on schedule to promptly convey and study the spirit of relevant documents issued by the Bureau (Group), deploy quarterly work‑safety tasks, and specify requirements for the next phase of safety work. Leading officials and those responsible for safety have been committed to conducting in‑depth on‑site inspections and guidance at project sites; in 2023, institute leaders led teams to inspect field construction projects, office areas, and bases a total of 38 times. The Bureau’s (Group’s) safety directives have been strictly implemented, the safety management system continuously improved, and the “Safety Management System,” “Comprehensive Work‑Safety Responsibility System,” and “Safety Operating Procedures” promptly revised. A sound system of comprehensive work‑safety responsibility and assessment has been established, safety awareness‑raising, education, and training have been reinforced, and activities such as Safety Month and Fire Safety Month have been carried out in earnest. Work on the dual systems of hierarchical risk control and hazard identification/remediation has been comprehensively advanced, oversight of field construction safety has been strengthened, emergency response drills have been conducted, accident‑response capabilities have been enhanced, and efforts to build “Red Flag Teams” and standardized construction sites have been promoted. Several teams and construction project sites have been recognized as Red Flag Teams and Standardized Construction Sites, and the institute has maintained a record of zero accidents for many consecutive years, thereby contributing to the high‑quality development of the Bureau (Group).
 

2023 “Safety Production Red Flag Team” of the Bureau (Group)

The “Iron Ore Prospecting Project Team for Dameng Village, Xueguantun Area, Qihe County, Shandong Province” is a provincial-level geological exploration project undertaken by Shandong Province in 2022. Established immediately upon the project’s commencement in June 2022, the team boasts a fully staffed organizational structure, comprising six specialized sub‑teams—Geology, Hydrology, Surveying, Geophysical Exploration, Drilling, and Finance—with a total of 17 members. During project implementation, the team rigorously adhered to all relevant safety regulations and procedures, including the Work Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Occupational Diseases, and the Operational Guidelines for Safe Drilling Practices. Upholding the principle of “safety first, prevention foremost, comprehensive management,” the team established and refined a robust system of team‑level safety responsibility, safety management protocols, and on‑site emergency response measures. Specific safety duties were clearly defined for team leaders, safety officers, and each team member, and detailed safety operating procedures were developed for geology, hydrology, geophysical exploration, surveying, drilling, and other disciplines. All personnel underwent three‑tiered safety training and, following successful examination and certification, assumed their posts with valid credentials. In light of the project’s technical characteristics and on‑site working conditions, the team actively promoted standardized construction of safe production sites, continuously strengthening visual management of construction areas, personnel, and equipment, as well as monitoring equipment operating status, managing office and living quarters, and implementing quality control measures. Throughout 2023, the entire team worked in close collaboration, united in purpose and leveraging collective expertise to complete all production tasks to high standards, with high efficiency and superior quality. No safety incidents occurred during the project, resulting in a favorable environment characterized by standardized, safe, and civilized production and zero accidents.

The Bureau (Group)’s 2023 “Standardized Construction Site for Work Safety”

The Cai 21 and Cai 22 well groups of Zhongyan Changjiang Salt Chemical Co., Ltd. are located near the north gate of the company in Yingcheng City, Xiaogan Prefecture, Hubei Province. At the request of Zhongyan Changjiang Salt Chemical, these two well groups were connected by a single deviated well and a horizontal well, with a total measured depth of 2,346.26 meters, including 605.91 meters of core‑taking and 1,018.08 meters of directional drilling. During construction, the project team rigorously adhered to the safety production principle of “safety first, prevention foremost,” continuously strengthened safety management, and effectively safeguarded the safety and health of workers. All personnel were certified after completing required pre‑employment training, having undergone three‑level safety education and training, thereby ensuring they possessed the requisite safety knowledge, were familiar with relevant safety regulations and operating procedures, and had mastered the specific safety skills required for their positions. Special‑operation personnel also completed specialized safety‑technical training, passed the corresponding assessments, obtained valid operation permits, and renewed their certifications and underwent annual inspections as required. To ensure work quality, the project established a comprehensive quality‑management system and formulated detailed operating procedures, maintaining strict quality control throughout. The Cai 21 and Cai 23 well groups marked the first time our institute’s Salt Well Branch undertook the connection of one horizontal well and one deviated well. Technically innovative and pioneering, the team proactively addressed challenges such as high temperatures during construction, successfully completing the well‑to‑well connection in 192 days while ensuring safe operations at every stage.

The “Urban Geological Survey of the Eastern Part of Jinan’s New‑Old Kinetic Energy Conversion Pilot Zone (Gaoguanzhai Subdistrict)” project was a 2022 fiscal initiative of the Jinan Municipal Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning. The project’s primary field‑work methods included remote sensing, hydrogeological and environmental geological surveys, engineering geological drilling, and water‑sample collection and analysis. Adhering to the principles that “there are no small matters in safety” and “even the most meticulous plans may have unforeseen oversights,” the project team consistently prioritized safety above all other tasks. Prior to commencement, the Institute’s Safety and Environmental Protection Department organized safety‑related technical training for the project team, with particular emphasis on electrical and fire‑safety precautions and on identifying potential hazards during field investigations. The project leader, taking into account the specific characteristics of the project, conducted a detailed safety‑technology briefing and signed safety responsibility agreements with all team members, clearly defining each person’s safety obligations. During construction, the project adopted a grid‑based management system for safety, quality, and civilized site operations, delineating the responsibilities of those in charge of individual sub‑projects, safety, and quality inspection, and specifying duties related to safe production, civilized construction, quality control, and dust‑and‑environmental‑protection management. The leadership‑on‑duty inspection regime was strictly enforced, and regular weekly meetings were held with foremen to enhance quality, ensuring that safety management measures were effectively implemented. Institute‑level leaders periodically visited the project site to conduct safety inspections, promptly identifying and rectifying any potential safety hazards. In July 2023, the fieldwork was completed, with safe production maintained throughout the entire process. In September 2023, the project successfully passed the acceptance review organized by the Jinan Municipal Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning, receiving an “Excellent” rating.
 

“Advanced Individual in Safety Management” for 2023, Bureau (Group)

Li Zheng is a member of the Communist Party of China, a senior safety engineering engineer, and the deputy director of the Institute’s Department of Geological Science and Technology (Safety and Environmental Protection). He is also an expert listed in the Jinan Municipal Emergency Management Expert Pool. He holds a master’s degree in Safety Technology and Engineering from Shandong University of Science and Technology and possesses national certifications as an intermediate‑level registered safety engineer, a Level‑2 safety assessor, a Grade‑I construction engineer (specializing in civil engineering, municipal works, and water conservancy), a Grade‑I registered fire protection engineer, and an environmental impact assessment specialist. Over many years, he has been engaged in occupational safety management, diligently fulfilling his duties and strengthening oversight; as a result, our institute has repeatedly been recognized as an advanced collective in workplace safety, while numerous work teams and construction sites have been awarded the titles of “Red Flag Teams” and “Standardized Construction Sites.”

As a full-time safety management professional, this colleague has continuously broadened his knowledge and enhanced his overall competence by studying relevant laws, regulations, and safety expertise. He places great emphasis on applying theory to practice, using the knowledge he has acquired to guide his work, thereby ensuring that learning translates into action and that progress in learning drives operational effectiveness. As a safety expert, he has repeatedly participated in safety inspections conducted by the China National Coal Administration and the Bureau (Group), earning high praise for his professional acumen and managerial capabilities. In his duties, he has proactively implemented the spirit of pertinent documents issued by the China National Coal Administration and the Bureau (Group), strengthened our institute’s safety management system, enforced the responsibility system for safe production, put in place risk‑based tiered control and hazard‑identification and remediation mechanisms, ensured the implementation of occupational health and safety measures, and arranged participation in workplace safety liability insurance. He has undertaken the revision of safety rules and regulations, ensuring their effective promulgation and implementation; organized a wide range of safety training programs, Safety Month activities, Fire Safety Month events, and other initiatives; overseen the updating of emergency response plans and coordinated related drills; and consistently advanced the development of a robust safety management system and standardized construction sites. He has also compiled detailed records of on‑site standardized safety management, provided essential safety documentation to support project‑level initiatives, and conducted acceptance inspections of standardized construction sites in accordance with the detailed implementation guidelines and acceptance criteria for standardized drilling rigs. Furthermore, he has reinforced safety oversight of outsourced construction projects, organized quarterly comprehensive safety inspections, and ensured timely rectification of identified hazards. With rigorous standards and stringent requirements, he has devoted himself to elevating the institute’s safety and environmental protection efforts, thereby fostering a secure and stable environment conducive to the institute’s high‑quality development.

2023 “Outstanding Safety Officer at Construction Sites” of the Bureau (Group)

Zhai Dongliang is a member of the Communist Party of China and a senior engineer. He serves as a member of the Institute’s Safety Production Committee and as a part-time safety officer in the Mineral Exploration Branch. He has been honored with titles such as “Outstanding Communist Party Member” by the Bureau (Group), “Party Member Model Post” by the Institute, “Advanced Worker,” and “Union Activist.” For many years, he has been engaged in technical and safety‑production management at the forefront of mineral exploration, engineering‑hydrological‑environmental geology, and geological hazard prevention and control.
 

As a safety officer, this colleague has not only enhanced his geological expertise but has also actively participated in various safety‑production training and education programs organized by the institute, bureau (or group). Leveraging media such as television, computers, and the internet, he has broadened his perspectives and expanded his horizons, continuously strengthening his knowledge and experience in safety‑production management. He promptly adapts to diverse job requirements, skillfully oversees safety management across a range of geological projects, and demonstrates strong competence in this field. In project‑level safety management, he consistently upholds the guiding principle of “safety first, prevention foremost, comprehensive governance,” rigorously implementing all relevant safety‑production regulations and the spirit of pertinent documents. He has established and refined a robust system of safety responsibilities at the team level, detailed operating procedures for safe work practices, and on‑site emergency response plans. Throughout project execution, he places the safety and well‑being of personnel above all else, meticulously carrying out tiered safety training, pre‑start self‑inspections, daily safety briefings, identification of major hazard sources, and the systematic elimination and rectification of potential risks—ensuring that every safety measure is effectively implemented. With a proactive, diligent, and down‑to‑earth work ethic, he attends to even the smallest details in safety management, thereby guaranteeing production safety and stability. His efforts have yielded excellent operational results and significant social benefits, earning him high praise from leaders at all levels and his colleagues alike.