To　draw　lessons　from　historical　chemical　accidents　and　guide　the　practice　of　chemical　safety　production　management,　a　method　for　identifying　critical　factors　in　chemical　accidents　based　on　text　mining　and　improved　DEMATEL　method　was　proposed.　Firstly,　text　mining　technology　was　used　to　fully　mine　the　text　information　of　1　627　chemical　accident　investigation　reports,　based　on　which　14　chemical　accident　influencing　factors　were　extracted　according　to　related　literature,　laws　and　regulations.　Then,　the　fuzzy　DEMATEL　method　based　on　alpha⁃level　sets　was　used　to　calculate　the　performance　levels　of　the　factors　affecting　chemical　accidents.　Finally,　the　correlations　between　critical　factors　and　other　factors　were　analyzed　and　the　mechanism　of　chemical　accidents　was　revealed.　The　results　show　that　8　chemical　accident　influencing　factors　are　identified　as　the　critical　factors,　i.　e.,　extreme　weather,　regulations,　technical　procedures,　hidden　danger　investigation,　risk　control,　education　and　training,　supervision　and　management,　and　operation　management.　These　8　critical　factors　have　direct　impact　on　the　influence　factors　such　as　facilities　and　equipment,　material　reactions,　occupational　quality,　job　responsibilities,　emergency　management,　and　safety　investment,　which　eventually　lead　to　chemical　accidents.　©　2024　Editorial　Department　of　China　Safety　Science　Journal.　All　rights　reserved.