China is implementing legal measures to hold business owners personally liable for hazardous conditions at worksites. The State Administration of Work Safety, which proposed amendments to existing law, said that, once the changes become operational, business owners also would face criminal prosecution.
The move follows 179 deaths in five major accidents over the past three months. The highly publicized events prompted a government move to force business owners and managers of state-owned enterprises to beef up worksite safety and supervision. Further, the government has indicated that it is ready to close down mines that are unable to ensure worker safety, despite repeated accidents.