Hazards of Iron Sheet Container Houses

Iron sheet container houses have various issues including fire safety, structural safety, health hazards, and management risks. Details are as follows:

Fire Safety Risks

• Illegal construction materials: To save costs, some container houses use flammable materials such as polystyrene and polyurethane foam as core materials. These materials have poor fire resistance and safety, and can be ignited by electrical welding sparks or cigarette butts.
• Rapid combustion: Once flammable core materials catch fire, they melt and deform at 80℃, causing droplets that can trigger more severe combustion. The combustion products are highly toxic.
• Difficult firefighting: After a fire breaks out, the flames spread rapidly and the structure is prone to collapse in a short time. The iron sheet-wrapped container houses make it difficult for water cannons to shoot water inside, increasing the difficulty of firefighting and rescue.
• Escape difficulties: When polystyrene and polyurethane burn, they produce thick black smoke. Toxic fumes accumulate inside the room, making it difficult for trapped people to escape and increasing the risk of casualties.

Structural Safety Risks

• Insufficient wind resistance: Some container houses do not meet the required wind resistance standards. For example, a container purchased online by a man in Haiyan, Zhejiang, was labeled as having a wind resistance rating of 10, but it was blown apart in an 8-level wind, posing a serious safety hazard.
• Limitations of steel properties: Exposed steel structures, when exposed to high temperatures around 600℃, experience a significant decrease in strength, leading to deformation or even collapse. Long-term exposure to humid environments also poses a risk of rust.

Health Hazards

• Poor air circulation: Iron sheet houses generally have poor indoor air circulation, increasing the concentration of pollutants in the air, such as formaldehyde, benzene, and other chemicals, as well as dust mites, mold, and other microorganisms. This can cause respiratory discomfort and increase the risk of respiratory diseases.
• Hazards from special substances: If there are large amounts of heavy metals or radioactive substances in iron sheet houses, long-term exposure can lead to poisoning or radiation damage.

Management Risks

• Regulatory difficulties: There are gaps in the management of container houses in some areas. For example, in Beilun District, Ningbo, both the Land and Resources Bureau and the Construction Bureau stated that it was not their responsibility, resulting in无人负责 (no one being responsible for) health and fire safety issues.