China Issues New Mandatory National Standard for Safe Production in Hazardous Chemical Enterprises 
On April 25, 2025, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation has issued a new mandatory national standard, titled General Code for Standardized Safe Production in Hazardous Chemical Enterprises (GB 45673-2025), which will take effect on Nov. 1, 2025.
The standard, developed in accordance with the Work Safety Law, outlines general and management requirements for hazardous chemical enterprises to implement standardized safety production practices. It applies to chemical manufacturers, companies that use hazardous chemicals in production, and businesses that store hazardous chemicals for commercial purposes.
Compared to the draft version released in August 2024, the final standard includes revised general requirements, new provisions for digital and intelligent safety management systems, and detailed compliance verification methods for each requirement.
Background and Purpose
- The new standard responds to updated safety requirements introduced in recent years, including the 2021 revision of the Work Safety Law and the 2020 policy on strengthening safety in hazardous chemical production. These regulations emphasize the need for companies to fulfill safety responsibilities, identify and mitigate major risks, and adopt digital and intelligent safety systems.
- Existing safety standards—seven in total—were issued around 2010 and are no longer fully aligned with current safety management needs. The new GB 45673-2025 standard consolidates and replaces these outdated standards.
Key Revisions from the 2024 Draft
- Section 4: General Requirements
A new clause (4.2) requires enterprises to adopt advanced domestic and international process technologies and equipment, following principles of minimization, substitution, mitigation, and simplification. The use of obsolete processes and equipment is prohibited.
- Section 5.1.5: Digital and Intelligent Safety Systems
This new clause outlines requirements for building digital and intelligent safety management systems within enterprises.
- Compliance Verification Methods
Each section now includes specific methods for verifying compliance. For example, Section 5.2 on safety responsibility includes Clause 5.2.3, which requires inspections to confirm that all employees have documented safety responsibilities, task lists, and evaluation records that meet the section’s requirements.
Implementation and Enforcement
The standard will take effect on Nov. 1, 2025. Upon implementation, it will replace the following seven existing standards:
- AQ 3013-2008: General Code for Safety Standardization in Hazardous Chemical Enterprises
- AQ 3037-2010: Guidelines for Sulfuric Acid Production
- AQ 3038-2010: Guidelines for Carbide Production
- AQ 3039-2010: Guidelines for Dissolved Acetylene Production
- AQ 3040-2010: Guidelines for Paint Production
- AQ/T 3016-2008: Guidelines for Chlor-Alkali Production
- AQ/T 3017-2008: Guidelines for Synthetic Ammonia Production
The Ministry of Emergency Management will oversee implementation. According to the explanatory document released alongside the 2024 draft, violations of the new standard will be subject to penalties under Articles 41, 44, and 101 of the Work Safety Law.
The original text of the standard is available at:
https://openstd.samr.gov.cn/bzgk/std/newGbInfo?hcno=2B5FB91F00A1C10AE3750A6DEF40C749
