CXO龙头康龙化成安全事故致两员工死亡

Core Viewpoint - The safety incident at Kanglong Chemical, a leading CXO company, highlights significant management and safety protocol failures within the rapidly expanding industry, raising concerns about employee safety amidst growth [1][10][12]. Company Summary - Kanglong Chemical (300759.SZ, 03759.HK) is a major player in the CXO industry, providing comprehensive services from drug discovery to commercial production, with over 20,000 employees [1][10]. - In 2024, the company achieved a total revenue of 12.276 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.39%, and a net profit of 1.793 billion yuan, up 12.01% [1]. - The company signed new orders that grew over 20% year-on-year, indicating ongoing business expansion [10]. Incident Details - The incident occurred on June 3, when two operators, Guo and Jing, entered a nitrogen-filled flexible isolator without proper safety measures, leading to their suffocation due to lack of oxygen [2][5][6]. - The investigation revealed that the operators violated safety protocols by not using an oxygen detection device before entering the isolator [6][9]. - The accident was classified as a general production safety incident due to non-compliance with operational procedures, resulting in recommendations for fines between 300,000 and 1 million yuan and penalties for 11 responsible personnel [1][10]. Industry Context - The CXO industry is experiencing rapid growth, with global markets for drug discovery CRO, clinical CRO, and CDMO expected to reach 35.9 billion, 81.8 billion, and 157.3 billion USD respectively by 2027, with compound annual growth rates of 14.8%, 8.4%, and 16.0% [11]. - The rapid expansion of the industry has led to increased safety risks, as companies often handle multiple projects simultaneously, which can compromise safety management [11][12]. - Historical data indicates that from 1999 to 2019, 63% of safety incidents in domestic pharmaceutical companies were explosion-related, primarily due to human error and inadequate safety training [11].