Campaign launched to crack down on illegal workplace safety practices

China has launched a cross-agency campaign to crack down on illegal and noncompliant workplace safety practices in key sectors, including mining, chemicals and fire safety, after investigations pointed to illegal operations and falsified safety records as key contributors to recent workplace accidents.

The campaign was jointly launched by the Office of the State Council Work Safety Commission and five other agencies, including the nation's supreme court, supreme procuratorate and top public security authority, according to a news release issued by the Ministry of Emergency Management on Monday.

An official with the ministry said some regions and sectors have experienced frequent workplace accidents this year, resulting in significant losses of life and property.

"Investigations showed that illegal operations, rule-breaking practices and falsification in workplace safety were prominent problems and key causes behind the accidents," the official said.

The campaign will focus on three categories of common violations: companies or workers lacking required safety permits or qualifications, falsification related to workplace safety, and deliberate illegal conduct, such as forcing workers to violate safety protocols or take unnecessary risks.

Authorities will target companies operating without the required permits, with incomplete or expired licenses, or beyond the scope of their approvals. Workers serving in positions without the required qualifications or valid licenses will also come under scrutiny.

The campaign will address production facilities built without approval, those that have failed to pass required safety assessments or inspections, and those that do not meet basic workplace safety standards. The use of banned or obsolete technologies, facilities and equipment that could endanger production safety will also be targeted.

Falsification practices are another focus area. The notice calls for action against the filing of false reports in surveys, design, evaluation, assessment, inspection and testing related to quality and workplace safety.

Authorities will also punish operators that refuse to comply with orders to suspend production, construction or the use of unsafe facilities, equipment or sites. Companies that resume operations without approval after being ordered to suspend production, rectify problems or undergo technical upgrades will also face penalties.

In high-risk cases, authorities will focus on operators that knowingly organize production despite major safety hazards, as well as those that conceal, falsely report or delay reporting workplace accidents.

The notice also identified specific problems plaguing several sectors.

In coal mining, authorities will target concealed underground working areas, unlicensed mining operations and production carried out without proper control of major hazards. In the chemical and hazardous chemicals sector, they will clamp down on production activities without safety permits, operations beyond approved licensing limits, and illegal production or business activities involving hazardous chemicals.

In fire safety, the campaign will focus on high-rise residential buildings with flammable or combustible exterior insulation materials, unauthorized hot work in crowded venues, missing or damaged firefighting facilities in elderly care institutions, and inadequate safety measures for oil fume ducts in commercial catering establishments.

In industrial and trade enterprises, inspectors will target excessive dust accumulation at sites with explosion risks, as well as the unauthorized removal or shutdown of monitoring and alarm systems.

The notice also calls for stronger coordination among administrative law enforcement authorities, judicial bodies and disciplinary inspection agencies. Companies found in violation may face closure, heavier penalties, and punishment for both the enterprises and the responsible individuals.

In major accidents, authorities will upgrade investigations where necessary, strengthen oversight of major cases and trace the root causes of typical accidents, with the aim of cutting off the illegal profit chains behind repeated workplace safety violations.