Occupational diseases get new focus

China is set to step up its control of occupational diseases, with the central government calling for the transformation or phasing-out of hazardous workplaces and the expansion of health insurance coverage for affected people.

A guideline on the reform and development of work safety, published by the central government on Sunday, said that enterprises with workplaces known to cause severe occupational diseases must step up technical innovation and transformation, or they will be phased out.

Local authorities should support the fundamental research, prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment of occupational diseases, the guideline said.