China drafts safety law for special equipment

BEIJING - China's legislature on Monday started deliberating a draft law on the safety of special equipment, or equipment that operates under high pressure, temperature or speed with a potential threat to public safety.

The equipment specified includes boilers, elevators and cranes, as well as other items, according to a draft law submitted to the 28th bimonthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

In addition to existing supervisory measures, the draft specifies primary responsibilities for manufacturers and operators of special equipment in order to prevent accidents.

From 2005 to 2010, accidents involving such special equipment had claimed over 1,600 lives across China, according to a briefing given by Wen Shizhen, vice chairman of the NPC's Financial and Economic Committee.