China to strengthen work-safety supervision for platform economy

BEIJING -- Chinese lawmakers are considering amendments to a law to strengthen the supervision and administration of the work safety of the platform economy.

A draft amendment to the Law on Workplace Safety was submitted on Monday to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, for the second reading.

The draft said that business entities in emerging industries, including the platform economy, should improve and implement the accountability system for workplace safety for all employees, and perform the obligations of work safety in line with the Law on Workplace Safety and other laws and regulations, according to their specific conditions.

The platform economy is economic and social activity facilitated by digital platforms, typically online matchmakers or technology frameworks.

According to the draft, business operations face a number of problems, such as safety hazards for gas users in catering and other industries, and the illegal transfer of construction qualifications and illegal subcontracting in construction projects related to mining, metal smelting and dangerous goods.

To address such problems, the draft stipulated that business-operation units in catering and other industries that use fuel gas should install combustible-gas alarm devices and ensure their normal use.

Meanwhile, units of construction projects related to mining, metal smelting and dangerous goods should enhance safety management, and are not allowed to transfer construction qualifications in any form, the draft states.

The draft also says that heavier penalties will be imposed on workplace-safety violators.

The draft amendment was submitted to the Standing Committee of the NPC for the first reading in January and has been published to solicit public opinion.