China issues first departmental rule on administrative sanctions for work safety discipline

China's Supervision Department and the State Administration of Work Safety promulgated and implemented on August 22 the "Provisional Regulations on Administrative Penalties for Illegal and Disciplinary Behavior in the Field of Work Safety". This is China's first department regulation concerning administrative penalties in the field of work safety.

"This is a major measure taken to impose strict laws and heavy penalties, and use severe laws to bring order," said Li Yizhong, director of the State Administration of Work Safety. "This regulation makes clear stipulations regarding various types of illegal and disciplinary behavior in the field of work safety and their penalty standards, and is an important basis for investigating cases involving illegal and disciplinary behavior in the field of work safety."

According to the introduction, the "Provisional Regulations" categorizes the illegal and disciplinary behavior of the state administrative organs and civil servants in the field of work safety into seven categories with 25 manifestations, including non-compliance with work safety laws and regulations, illegal implementation of administrative licensing, approval of provision of hazardous materials, interference in work safety, causing work safety accidents, hindering accident investigation and handling, and clean governance, etc.; illegal and disciplinary behavior of state-owned enterprises and their staff in the field of work safety are also categorized into five categories with 18 manifestations, including illegal and disciplinary behavior in production, production safety accidents, hindering accident investigations, hindering accident handling, and clean professional conduct, etc.