Review of the Work Safety and Health Inspection System in the People’s Republic of China AUGUST 2010 LAB/ADMIN Labour Administration and Inspection Programme _____________________ International Labour Office Geneva Contents Forward and Acknowledgements .................................................................................................. vii Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ x I. Selected basic socio-economic data .................................................................................... 13 1. General ........................................................................................................... 13 2. GDP ................................................................................................................ 13 3. Per capita average annual income .................................................................. 13 4. Total economically active population ............................................................. 13 5. Percentage of workforce with primary school education and above .............. 14 II. Background and Justification .............................................................................................. 14 A. The System of Work Safety & Health (OSH) Inspection ......................................... 16 1. Legal Basis for OSH Inspection ..................................................................... 16 2. OSH Policies .................................................................................................. 17 3. Prospects ......................................................................................................... 18 4. Central Government level ............................................................................... 19 5. Main Functions of SAWS .............................................................................. 21 6. Scope and tasks of WS Inspection .................................................................. 23 7. Local-level Organisation ................................................................................ 24 8. Occupational Hygiene/Health Inspection ....................................................... 24 9. Registration and Reporting of Work Accidents and Diseases ........................ 26 10. Inspections ...................................................................................................... 28 11. Communication, Publicizing OSH Laws and Regulations, Campaigns ......... 28 B. WSA Inspectorate Staff ............................................................................................ 29 1. Law Enforcement Institutions and Team Building ......................................... 29 2. Status of Inspectors ......................................................................................... 29 3. Recruitment .................................................................................................... 30 4. Qualification Requirements ............................................................................ 30 5. Human Resource Development ...................................................................... 30 6. Standards of Professional Conduct ................................................................. 31 C. Other Actors with OSH Inspection Responsibilities................................................. 31 1. General Observations ..................................................................................... 31 2. Ministry of Health .......................................................................................... 31 3. Ministry of Construction ................................................................................ 32 4. Ministry of Agriculture ................................................................................... 32 5. Other Agencies ............................................................................................... 32 D. Sanctions and Administrative Fines Procedures ....................................................... 32 E. Trade Union Labour Protection Supervisors (LPS) .................................................. 35 F. Coal Mines Safety Inspection ................................................................................... 35 1. Main Functions ............................................................................................... 36 2. Organisational Structure ................................................................................. 36 G. The State Work Safety Emergency Rescue Commanding Centre ............................ 37 H. The State Council Work Safety Committee .............................................................. 38 1. Organisation ................................................................................................... 38 2. Main Functions ............................................................................................... 38 3. The General Office of the WSC and its Functions ......................................... 38 I. Work Safety Research Institutes ............................................................................... 39 1. The China Work Safety Research Institute .................................................... 39 2. Main Functions ............................................................................................... 39 3. Other OSH-relevant Research Institutes (selection) ....................................... 40 J. National Work Safety Standardisation Technical Committee ................................. 40 III. Major Conclusions of the Review Mission ......................................................................... 40 1. The need for a holistic approach..................................................................... 40 2. A prevention promotion and enforcement strategy for SME‟s ...................... 41 3. Employer‟s responsibility and liability ........................................................... 42 4. Responsibility and liability of other duty holders........................................... 43 5. Inspectors‟ liability ......................................................................................... 43 6. Qualifications of inspectors ............................................................................ 44 7. Operational aspects of OSH inspection .......................................................... 46 8. Aspects of organisation .................................................................................. 47 9. OSH prevention through risk management/risk assessment .......................... 48 10. Registration and notification of work accidents and diseases ........................ 49 11. Complaints procedures ................................................................................... 50 12. Issues related to sanctions .............................................................................. 50 13. Making better use of employers‟ organisations, trade unions and TU Labour Protection Supervisors .............................................................................................. 51 14. Cooperation between different parties ............................................................ 51 15. Road traffic safety .......................................................................................... 52 IV. Corresponding Recommendations of the Review Mission ................................................. 53 1. Need for a holistic approach ........................................................................... 53 2. A new law enforcement and prevention strategy (including SMEs) .............. 53 3. Employers‟ responsibility ............................................................................... 53 4. A systematic approach to hazard identification, risk assessment and control 54 5. Responsibility and liability of other duty holders........................................... 54 6. Inspectors‟ liability ......................................................................................... 54 7. Qualifications of inspectors ............................................................................ 54 8. Operational aspects of OSH inspection .......................................................... 55 9. Aspects of organisation .................................................................................. 55 10. Registration and notification of work accidents and diseases ........................ 55 11. Issues related to sanctions .............................................................................. 56 12. Making better use of employer‟s organisations, trade unions and TU Labour Protection Supervisors .............................................................................................. 56 13. Cooperation between different parties ............................................................ 56 14. Road traffic safety ......................................................................................... 56 4 Annexes ......................................................................................................................................... 57 1. Programme of the Review Mission ................................................................ 57 2. List of officials meeting in Beijing, Shandong and Ningxia .......................... 57 3. Summary of discussions in Zhejiang Province and Hangzhou City (2009) ... 61 4. Summary of discussions from Shandong Province (2010) ............................