Government to blacklist work safety violators

The government plans to create and publish a blacklist of companies that violate work safety rules, according to a spokesman.

Huang Yi, spokesman for the State Administration of Work Safety, said on Monday that companies on the blacklist would face restrictions from multiple government departments, including difficulties accessing land usage and financing. The government will also publicize the companies' violations of work safety rules to urge them to improve safety procedures, Huang told reporters during a briefing at the National People's Congress.

The NPC Standing Committee is scheduled to review a draft amendment of the law on work safety from Tuesday to Thursday.

The law on work safety, enacted in 2002, needs revision as social and economic conditions have greatly changed, Huang said.

According to the draft, company owners will fact stricter punishments with higher fines if they break work safety rules.

The draft authorizes government agencies to take compulsory measures including cutting electricity supply if companies refuse to improve their safety procedures.

China witnessed a series of work-related tragedies in 2013. On June 3, a fire at a poultry factory in Jilin province claimed 121 lives. In November, 62 people died in an oil pipeline blast in Qingdao, Shandong province.