China's legislature is amending work safety laws to increase punishments for offenders and protect labour rights, a cabinet minister said over the weekend.

Li Yizhong, minister of the State Administration of Work Safety, said lax laws, rules and regulations and inefficient enforcement have contributed to the grim work safety situation that has plagued the country for years.

"Compared with punishment in other countries, there is plenty of room for our legislature to revise the Criminal Law and other laws," said Li. "We should become determined to use the severest punishment to overawe offenders."

China's Criminal Law stipulates that work safety criminals can be given a maximum seven-year prison sentence, and the time can be reduced once behind bars. 

Meanwhile, companies that do not meet national work safety standards can be fined a maximum of only 200,000 yuan (US$25,000) if accidents take place.

"In developed countries work safety laws are much tougher," Li said, 
Lifelong imprisonment is possible if companies in the United States violate laws and encroach upon labour rights.

And in Australia, coal mine owners and executives will be barred from the mining business for the rest of their lives if accidents take place in their mines. Of course, they will also be charged with higher fines.

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