New Regulations to Protect Workers' Health

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, May 20, 2002

New Regulations to Protect Workers' Health

A new regulation was enforced Sunday to help improve the health of employees working with poisonous and dangerous materials. The regulation, issued by the State Council, is expected to reduce the increasing number of diseases brought about by poisonous materials in the workplace.

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A new regulation was enforced Sunday to help improve the health of employees working with poisonous and dangerous materials.

The regulation, issued by the State Council, is expected to reduce the increasing number of diseases brought about by poisonous materials in the workplace.

Occupational Diseases

The official list of verified occupational diseases in China includes:

I. Occupational poisonings

2. Pneumoconiosis

3. Physical agent-induced occupational diseases

4.Occupational communicable diseases

5. Occupational dermatoses

6. Occupational eye diseases

7. Occupational ear, nose and throat diseases

8.Occupational tumours

Officials from the Ministry of Health noted that China's occupational diseases have become very "serious" and the issue of this new regulation has provided workers with a new legal weapon to protect their own rights.

Statistics from the ministry show that 756 acute poisoning cases were reported in 2001, 110 of which died.

Around 1,166 cases of chronic poisoning cases were registered in the country at the same time, with millions of employees working with poor protection measures.

Last year, the ministry received 13,218 reports of cases involving various occupational diseases, which represents a rise of 13 per cent over the figure for 2000.

Chronic poisoning caused by benzene has become quite severe, especially in firms making bags, toys, and shoes made with leather.

Most of the poisoning accidents took place in small and medium-sized firms and in particular private firms.

A lack of awareness with regards to protection as well as a lack of investment in this area is the "chief culprit" of the rising number of poisoning cases.

The new regulation will not only force employers to improve working conditions, but will also give workers more legal rights to prevent occupational diseases and enable them to receive compensation.

Workers have the right to have complete understanding of the dangers of their work and any employers found violating these rights will be severely punished, the regulation states.

Employers are being asked to improve safety conditions and to provide the necessary equipment to ensure the safety of their workers.

The regulation also stipulates that health officials in charge of supervising safety in workplace face criminal charges if any worker suffers ill health due to negligence on the part of the officer.

Employers who have suffered from poisoning at work have the right to seek compensation from insurance companies and from employers.

Under the new rule, employers will no longer be able to sack workers who have been exposed to poisonous substances before passing health examinations.

Factories are forbidden to use poisonous materials which do not comply with legal standards. Those that do so risk of close-down and being fined between 50,000 to 300,000 yuan (US$6,000-36,000), or face criminal charges.

Government's Efforts

By the late 1970s, following China 's economic reform and opening policy, structures and activities of occupational health were further developed to include identification, evaluation, prevention and control of occupational hazards at work in the same way as they have been adopted in most of the industrialized countries.

Beijing: Strengthening policies and legislation

The Beijing Municipal Health Bureau has decided to strengthen and broaden the monitoring and prevention of occupational diseases. Strengthens Monitoring of Occupational Diseases.

Shanghai:: a comprehensive regulation on the "Occupational Diseases Control Act" was adopted by the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress in 1996, which is a great step forward in the legislative containment of occupational diseases. The existing national policies and regulations on occupational health and safety will be further enforced through implementation of the local Act.

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