The Office of the State Council Work Safety Committee has summoned the heads of 11 municipal and prefecture-level governments across seven provincial-level regions for talks over major workplace accidents and recurring safety incidents, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Emergency Management on Friday.
The talks covered Baotou in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Nanyang in Henan province and Xiangyang in Hubei province, where major accidents have occurred this year. The other eight jurisdictions, including Zhengzhou in Henan and Qujing in Yunnan province, each recorded at least three relatively serious accidents within six months.
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The office said the national workplace safety situation had remained generally stable this year, but the number of relatively serious and more severe accidents had risen in some areas, underscoring the need for stronger prevention and oversight.
Local governments were urged to draw lessons from the accidents, investigate similar risks across their jurisdictions and ensure that regulators and businesses fulfill their safety responsibilities.
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Priority areas include mines, fireworks, hazardous chemicals and industrial operations. Authorities were told to crack down on illegal fireworks activities, strengthen mine safety measures, improve control of major chemical hazards and tighten oversight of contractors.
They were also urged to address fire risks in crowded venues, large mixed-use complexes and business premises, strengthen road traffic law enforcement and improve safety precautions in the cultural and tourism sectors.
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The office called for more rigorous regulatory enforcement, urging authorities to ensure that major safety hazards are thoroughly addressed and that those responsible for failing to implement corrective measures are held accountable.
It also called for stricter enforcement of the safety responsibilities of companies' principal executives, actual controllers and ultimate beneficiaries, alongside stronger coordination between administrative enforcement, criminal justice and disciplinary authorities. Authorities were urged to crack down on illegal activities and publicize typical cases to strengthen warnings.
The office urged continued vigilance around the year-end period, calling on authorities to identify risks, eliminate hazards and prevent accidents to protect people's lives and property and maintain social stability.
