Safety risks at the workplace under scrutiny

Chinese prosecutors approved the arrests of 4,181 people and prosecuted 16,648 others for crimes endangering workplace safety from January 2023 to June 2026, the Supreme People's Procuratorate said on Tuesday.

Although China's workplace safety situation has remained generally stable and continues to improve, risks persist in some industries, the SPP said.

Traditional high-risk sectors, including mining, hazardous chemicals, transportation and construction, remain vulnerable to major accidents. Some companies continue to prioritize production over safety, while increasingly complex working conditions make risks more difficult to control.

Prosecutors have also identified inadequate oversight of equipment and safety facilities as a major concern. Investigations have uncovered expired equipment, missing protective devices and faulty safety systems in many cases.

Fire hazards remain prominent at small businesses and public venues, including restaurants, hotels, workshops and entertainment facilities. Such premises are numerous and often located in urban villages, old town areas and rural communities, making regulatory oversight more challenging.

Unsafe electrical wiring, indoor charging of electric bicycles, aging gas hoses and improper storage of gas cylinders are among the major risks. Many accidents occur at night, with toxic smoke inhalation being a leading cause of death.

Meanwhile, new risks are emerging in sectors such as new energy, energy storage and urban gas, where rapid expansion has outpaced the development of some safety standards and risk-control measures.

The SPP cited several major cases to illustrate the consequences of safety violations.

The February 2023 collapse at the Xinjing coal mine in Alshaa League of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region was caused by operations that violated the approved mining design. The mine improperly combined excavation levels, creating an excessively high and steep slope that eventually collapsed, killing 53 people and injuring six.

At a Yellow River bridge construction site in Qinghai province, substandard materials and bolts were used in a supporting structure, while safety supervision was absent during high-risk nighttime operations. Part of the project collapsed in August 2025, killing 13 people with three still unaccounted for.

A gas explosion at a barbecue restaurant in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, in June 2023 was caused by an employee improperly removing a pressure regulator, resulting in a large liquefied petroleum gas leak. The blast killed 31 people and injured seven.

The SPP said prosecutors have maintained a tough stance on workplace safety crimes by directly supervising several major cases, while local procuratorates have prosecuted those responsible.

During the reporting period, prosecutors supervised the filing of 791 cases involving 881 people and pursued the arrest or prosecution of 534 suspects who had initially been omitted from investigations. They also recommended that administrative authorities transfer 872 suspected criminal cases for prosecution and filed 78 protests against court judgments involving errors in conviction or sentencing.

In addition, procuratorates have issued recommendations to address safety risks and regulatory gaps identified during investigations. They will strengthen coordination between administrative and criminal enforcement, make better use of public interest litigation and work with relevant authorities on targeted workplace safety campaigns.

The SPP also urged businesses to fulfill their primary responsibility for workplace safety by closely monitoring equipment, electrical wiring, hazardous chemicals, working environments and emergency exits.

yangzekun@chinadaily.com.cn