China considers heavier penalties for workplace safety violations

BEIJING -- Chinese lawmakers are considering more stringent penalties for workplace safety violations as the country seeks to amend its law governing the area to enhance supervision and prevent accidents.

A draft amendment to the Law on Workplace Safety was submitted on Wednesday to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, for the first reading.

The draft increases fines for violations across the board. The "principal leading members of a production or business unit" who fail to perform the work-safety control duty as provided for in the law shall receive a fine as much as their annual income if a serious accident happens, according to the draft.

In severe cases, recidivists may have their licenses revoked or be banned for life from the industry, says the draft.

Those breaching the law shall face criminal penalties if their violations constitute crimes.

China's workplace safety law was enacted in 2002 and amended in 2009 and 2014.

According to an explanatory document on the draft, the law has played a significant role in preventing workplace safety accidents and protecting people's lives and property.

But it does not fully adapt to new and higher workplace safety demands and modifications are needed to cope with new risks and hazards accumulated over time, says the document.

On Jan 10, a gold mine explosion trapped 22 miners in the city of Qixia in East China's Shandong province. While rescue work is still underway, leading officials of Qixia have been sacked. Those responsible for the accident have been identified and will be investigated and severely punished per the law and regulations, according to local authorities.

Lawmakers will deliberate the law in group discussions during the session, which will run through Friday.