Twelve punished for scaffold collapse that killed 7 in Shandong

Twelve people have been placed under compulsory measures by judicial authorities for a scaffold collapse at a grain storage facility, which resulted in 7 fatalities and 1 serious injury in Jinxiang county, Jining city of East China's Shandong province, according to the investigation report on the tragic incident released on Sunday.

The incident occurred on Dec 3, 2024, causing direct economic losses amounting to 13.465 million yuan ($1.89 million).

The report concluded that the accident was primarily caused by several critical safety violations. These included the incorrect selection and defective condition of wire ropes, improper binding methods, and unauthorized material loading on the truss. Additionally, the use of a single lifting point with an electric hoist and inadequate safety management by subcontractors, general contractors, and supervisory units were identified as contributing factors. Local government and relevant department oversight failures were also noted.

The investigation revealed that these issues led to uneven stress distribution, exceeding the wire ropes' load-bearing limits, which ultimately resulted in their failure and the subsequent collapse of the truss and personnel.

In response to the findings, 12 individuals have been subjected to compulsory measures by judicial authorities. These include Wang Tao, the legal representative of Huasheng Company, and several managers and supervisors from China Construction Seventh Engineering Division Corp and Tongcheng Company. They face charges related to major liability accidents, with recommendations for criminal prosecution.

Furthermore, disciplinary actions and organizational penalties have been proposed for 27 individuals across various companies and government departments. These include Party and administrative sanctions for those deemed responsible for inadequate safety oversight and management.

Administrative penalties have also been recommended for 4 companies, namely Huasheng Company, China Construction Seventh Engineering Division Corp, Tongcheng, and Jining Company of Sinograin, with fines ranging from 1.5 to 2 million yuan for violations of the Work Safety Law of the People's Republic of China.