Work safety hazards draft stipulates strict protocols

A new draft regulation aimed at reducing the number of work safety hazards around Shanghai lists a series of strict work protocols, including a measure that will require work sites to keep the city's supervisory authorities updated constantly when a major safety hazard has been found, officials said Thursday.

The draft also classifies work safety hazards into three categories to determine how they should be handled; from small-scale hazards that can be solved within a week, general hazards that require more than a week and the suspension of machinery or related equipment, and large-scale hazards that call for lengthier attention and suspended operations.

Work units from high-risk sectors, such as mining and construction, meanwhile, will be asked to report safety hazards to supervisory bodies on a monthly basis, according to the draft. It was released by the city's legislative affairs office this week, after local authorities carried out more than 900,000 inspections at work sites from 2006 to 2010, investing over 3 billion yuan ($474 million) to solve 1.3 million safety hazards during the five-year period.

The draft also proposes that companies that fail to comply with the new rules are subject to fines from 5,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan. A full copy of the draft can be found at shanghai.gov.cn. The public is invited to provide feedback on it until March 23, before officials push to have it take effect this year.

The regulation also encourages local residents to report to authorities if they discover any safety hazards at work sites. Tips determined to lead to the prevention of work accidents will be rewarded.