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On January 20, 2021, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) published the revision to the Provisions on the Supervision and Administration of Occupational Health at Work Sites (SAWS Order 47)[1]. It was renamed as the Provisions on the Administration of Occupational Health at Work Sites (NHC Order 5)[2] and took effect on February 1, 2021.
The major amendments are summarized as below.
(1) The provisions concerning the “occupational health and safety license of workplaces where toxic substances are used” were deleted, since according to the Decision of the State Council on a Group of Administrative Approval Items Cancelled or Adjusted and Other Matters[3] in 2014 the license was cancelled.
(2) The provisions concerning “Three Simultaneities” for protection facilities against occupational diseases were revised, since according to the revised Law on the Prevention and Control of Occupational Diseases[4] in 2016, the approval of the report on preliminary evaluation of occupational diseases hazards, the examination of the design of the protective facilities against occupational diseases and the acceptance check have been cancelled.
(3) For employing units where only general occupational diseases hazards are produced, the frequency for a mandatory examination for hazard factors of occupational diseases was reduced from at least once a year to every three years. The periodic examinations shall be conducted by qualified occupational hygiene and health bodies.
(4) The subject and responsibilities of supervision and administration were updated, since the responsibilities of occupational safety and health supervision and administration which were previously designated to the former State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) were designated to China NHC after the sweeping institutional reforms in 2018.
