China mulls law to ensure elevator safety

BEIJING -- China's legislature on Wednesday reviewed a draft law on the safety of special equipment including elevators, boilers, cranes and large recreation facilities.

The draft was tabled for a third reading at the ongoing four-day bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.

The draft clarifies requirements on the installation, remolding, repair as well as maintenance and use of elevators, amid public concerns after many elevator-related accidents, some of them fatal.

Those in charge of maintaining elevators should be qualified and strictly observe technical standards to ensure safety, according to the draft.

China had 2.45 million elevators at the end of 2012. At least five people have died from elevator-related accidents in the past two months.

In addition, pressure vessels, pressure pipelines, lifting appliances, passenger ropeways and large recreation facilities with potential to threaten the safety of human lives and property are also listed as special equipment.

The 101-article draft provides that safety standards enacted by the special equipment watchdog must be observed throughout the process of equipment production, operation, usage and testing.

Those violating the law could be fined up to 2 millions yuan (about $325,400). Staff at state organs who are held responsible for accidents could face a fine equivalent to as high as 60 percent of their annual income, according to the draft law.

Any organizations or people can report violations involving such equipment to the watchdog.

The watchdog should keep files of all registered special equipment and urge users to stop using worn-out pieces. The draft also obliges compulsory testing on the production of special equipment and examination of those items in use regularly.