Parcel forces asked to carry out safety inspections

The State Post Bureau of China has required all parcel delivery companies across the country to carry out safety inspections to prevent safety hazards, following recent operation accidents at some companies, according to bureau.

Recently, accidents occurred at the facilities of SF Express and J&T Express, two major parcel delivery companies in China. The accidents happened during the operating of machines and uploading and downloading parcels, according to a statement released by the bureau recently.

The bureau asked the companies to prioritize safety when conducting business and learn lessons from these accidents.

During the nationwide inspection, companies are required to establish a list of various safety risks, clarify responsibilities, set timetables for rectification, eliminate hazards and control major safety risks.

It has also asked to conduct a thorough inspection for potential risks associated with sorting equipment and uploading and unloading vehicles. Employees are required to follow the strict standard operation process to reduce safety hazards. The facility's management has also been asked for improvement.

Employees, including outsourcing workers, have to go through safety trainings to improve their safety awareness and capability to prevent risks.

With online shopping festivals approaching this month and next month, the parcel delivery's peak season is about to come. The bureau has asked companies to pay attention to extreme weather in winter, to delivery parcels safely and prevent major accidents.

The two companies involved in the recent accidents have committed to learning from the lessons of the accidents and have carried out safety inspections thoroughly to prevent future accidents and maintain a safe and stable operation, according to the statement.

China's parcel delivery sector has boomed in recent years. Since March, the number of parcels handled each month has reached a record 10 billion. In 2013, the annual number was less than 9.2 billion.

As of Oct 23, China has handled more than 100 billion parcels so far this year — 39 days earlier than last year.