Vikki Allen/Caojing, China

Shanghai Lianheng Isocyanate Company (SLIC) is celebrating its recently achieved safety record of five million man hours worked with no serious accidents. SLIC, a joint venture company, based on the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP), Caojing, China, has passed this milestone achievement almost one year after construction began in March 2004.

This accomplishment is a direct result of the strict safety regulations that operate on site, says Phil Nightingale, deputy general manager, SLIC. The SLIC site, which will ultimately produce the raw materials for the domestic polyurethane (PU) business, is currently about 10 per cent complete. China is the fastest growing market for PUs and is set to become the biggest market in the next 10 years.

Some 3500 workers are involved in setting up the PU site and SLIC is determined that safety be given the biggest priority. Nightingale manages production, maintenance and engineering on the site and is delighted with the current achievement. He told Chemistry World that the company 'doesn't take any risks' and believes '[SLIC] is the safest site anywhere'.

Safety is taken very seriously on site and to maintain the high standards, for every 25 employees directly involved in construction there is a further dedicated member of staff who is responsible for safety. On site there is also a paramedic station manned by fully qualified staff and SCIP has four fire stations.

Nightingale insists that safety remains a priority even though construction schedules are tight. SLIC plans to be fully operational and supplying customers as of 1 July 2006.

The company is a joint venture between BASF, Huntsman, Shanghai Hua Yi, Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical and Sinopec Gao Qiao Petrochemical Corporation. The companies together invested a total of $1bn (£0.5bn). The site is built on 29.4 square kilometres of land reclaimed from the sea; an area roughly equivalent to that of the city of Bath, UK.