Accident Rate Decrease After One Year of Special Equipment Safety Law Promulgated

According to the Special Equipment Safety Law, the use of untested equipment can result in severe penalties, with the maximum fine for major accidents reaching up to 2 million yuan. According to the State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, in 2013, there were 227 special equipment incidents, resulting in 289 deaths and 274 injuries. However, it's worth noting that no major accidents occurred during the year. This raises the question: has the maximum penalty of 2 million yuan ever been applied?

June 29 this year marked the first anniversary of the "People's Republic of China Special Equipment Safety Law." At a recent symposium organized by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, it was reported that since the law came into effect on January 1, 2014, from January to May this year, there were 73 incidents involving various types of special equipment across the country, resulting in 69 deaths and 59 injuries. Compared to the same period last year, this is a significant decrease, reflecting the best safety conditions in recent years.

The accident rate is comparable to that of developed countries

Special equipment refers to high-risk devices involved in life safety, including boilers, pressure vessels (including gas cylinders), pressure pipelines, lifts, lifting appliances, passenger ropeways, large amusement facilities, and special-purpose motor vehicles used in factories or plants. These eight categories are all considered critical.

Song Jihong, director of the Bureau of Special Equipment at the General Administration of Quality Supervision, stated that over the past year, quality inspection departments have worked on improving safety through reforms such as administrative licensing, inspections, defect recalls, and elevator supervision. These efforts have contributed to a better safety record.

According to statistics, in 2013, there were 227 special equipment accidents and 289 deaths in China. The death rate per 10,000 units was 0.46, a 11% decline compared to the previous year. This was well below the State Council’s target of 0.51, showing positive progress.

Taking pressure vessels as an example, Chen Xuedong, president of the General Machinery Research Institute, noted that in the 1980s, the accident rate per 10,000 pressure vessels in China was about 4, but now it has dropped to around 0.4—nearly a tenfold reduction. He added that the annual accident rate in developed countries is also approximately 0.4, matching China's level.

“In the 1980s, the total number of pressure vessels in the country was about 400,000. Now, it has grown to 2.5 million. From this perspective, the AQSIQ’s legislative and enforcement efforts over the past few years have significantly contributed to reducing the accident rate,” said Chen Xuedong.

Elevators become a focus of regulatory innovation

Elevators, which are closely tied to people's daily lives, have faced increasing public scrutiny due to frequent failures and accidents. In Beijing, for instance, elevator complaints accounted for 92.7% of all special equipment complaints. Despite a maintenance fund of 36 billion yuan, only 400 million had been used by 2013, with just 1.2% of the total allocated, mostly for elevator maintenance.

The main issue lies in the property law, which requires two-thirds of both the number of owners and the total construction area to approve major repairs. Li Lianghua, deputy inspector of the Beijing Bureau of Quality Supervision, pointed out that this rule has caused delays in elevator maintenance and left billions in unused funds.

To address these challenges, the AQSIQ focused on elevator safety reforms in 2013, introducing six measures aimed at improving oversight. These reforms were quickly implemented locally and yielded immediate results.

By the end of 2013, the Beijing Municipal Government issued a circular allowing the use of emergency procedures for residential special maintenance funds, including cases like elevator failures. As a result, the total amount of funds used for commercial housing rose by 113% year-on-year, with elevator repairs increasing by 61%. “The amount of money used in the first five months of this year is almost equivalent to the total over the past ten years,” said Li Lianghua.

Lagging supporting regulations hinder effective supervision

Since the implementation of the Special Equipment Safety Law, supervision and enforcement have increased significantly. Zhu Ming, deputy director of the Shanghai Bureau of Quality Supervision, noted that penalties imposed on enterprises in Shanghai increased by 20% in the first half of the year, with one-third related to non-compliance with the law and failed inspections.

However, Zhu admitted that the need for updated laws and regulations remains urgent. For example, while Shanghai’s Air Pollution Prevention and Control Plan required the elimination of 2,500 coal-fired boilers and 300 kilns by 2015, current laws lack sufficient support for such actions.

Experts at the conference also highlighted that, despite the law’s implementation, some issues remain unresolved, including gaps in legal frameworks and outdated standards. Song Jihong mentioned that the classification of accident investigations in the law does not align with the Safety Production Law, creating challenges in reporting and handling incidents.

Additionally, many new provisions, such as recall systems and management links, are not yet fully supported by corresponding regulations. “While we have drafted relevant standards, they have not yet been officially introduced, affecting the effectiveness of our supervisory work,” said Song.

He also emphasized the importance of the Special Equipment Safety Supervision Regulations, which include energy-saving requirements for high-energy-consuming equipment. Although these regulations are crucial for energy efficiency monitoring, most of their content is not reflected in the Special Equipment Safety Law itself.

According to the reporter, the AQSIQ has submitted a revised draft of the "Special Equipment Catalogue" to the State Council, which will be released upon approval. Other regulations, including defective equipment recalls, pressure pipeline supervision, and business oversight, are also under development.

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