An explosion occurred at an indoor decoration site, and two workers under construction were severely burned. According to the contractor, the explosion was caused by the gas volatilized from the paint coming into contact with sparks. At that time, two workers were carrying out decoration work on a 3-meter-high scaffold indoors. Due to poor ventilation, the newly painted room was filled with flammable paint gas that had evaporated. When the workers were dragging equipment, the iron equipment rubbed against the scaffold, causing sparks. Suddenly, a large ball of fire rose into the air, and the shock wave pushed the two workers under the scaffold. Now two workers are being rescued in the hospital due to inhaling a large amount of harmful gas during the explosion, which injured their lungs。

The reporter interviewed professionals in paint, indoor environment, and decoration on this matter. They said that in the current hot weather, safety awareness should be enhanced during decoration

Frequent incidents of explosions and poisoning caused by paint

Last November, an explosion caused by decoration occurred in a residential area located in Sanlihe, Beijing. It not only caused property damage to decoration materials, but also caused poisoning and casualties. It is understood that the main cause of this accident is the explosion caused by the volatilization of benzene in the paint thinner used during decoration. According to Song Guangsheng, director of the Indoor Environment Testing Center of the China Interior Decoration Association, there was an incident in Taiyuan last year where three people were poisoned and fainted due to painting, and one of them died。

Xylene is the main culprit causing explosions and poisoning

It is reported that the main chemical components of paint are low boiling organic solvents such as xylene, esters, ketones, alcohols, ethers, etc. Among them, xylene is a common component in various types of paint. The above explosions and poisoning incidents were all caused by the accumulation of high concentrations of xylene indoors. Benzene is a colorless liquid with a special aromatic odor, with a boiling point of 80.1 ℃. Xylene is a homologue of benzene. At present, xylene is often used as a solvent or diluent for various adhesives, paints, coatings, and waterproofing materials in indoor decoration instead of pure benzene. Benzene has the characteristics of being volatile, flammable, and vapor explosive. When a person inhales high concentrations of xylene in a short period of time, they may experience anesthesia in the central nervous system. In mild cases, dizziness, headache, nausea, chest tightness, fatigue, and confusion may occur, while in severe cases, they may become unconscious and die due to respiratory and circulatory failure

Experts remind construction personnel undergoing renovation to pay attention to the following issues during construction in hot summer weather：

When brushing paint, it is necessary to follow the construction requirements of the specifications, that is, to carry out it in a ventilated and dry environment. Excessive indoor humidity can affect the formation of paint film and the gloss of the paint. Only with good ventilation can the volatile flammable and harmful gases be evacuated as soon as possible。

Paint and coating construction is afraid of wind and sand weather, as sand and dust falling on the paint film can affect the brushing effect. Therefore, this construction is generally carried out when the doors and windows are tightly closed. If the coating amount is large, the indoor temperature is high, the construction time is long, and the accumulated xylene gas in the indoor air is too high, it can lead to poisoning. In cases where ventilation is not sufficient in sandstorm weather, be sure not to stay in a closed room for too long。

Some projects should avoid working together. Construction projects such as painting and coating should not be done together with carpentry work such as furniture making, heating, and installing wooden floors。

Material stacking should be classified. Different materials such as wood, paint, and paint should not be mixed together or placed in one room, but should be placed separately. Flammable materials such as paint should be stored in a well ventilated area

Smoking and throwing cigarette butts are not allowed at the construction site

Fire extinguishers should be prepared at the construction site