• By the end of July 2022 ， Conduct a comprehensive inspection of all ongoing housing and municipal engineering projects within this administrative area. , promptly rectify any identified hazards;

• By the end of September 2022, a “follow-up review” of hazard identification and remediation efforts shall be conducted, involving hierarchical inspections of previous work and spot checks of key projects. Our Ministry will, as appropriate, carry out supervisory inspections of the implementation of housing and municipal engineering governance initiatives across all regions.

Standard for Identifying Major Safety Hazards in Housing and Municipal Engineering Construction (2022 Edition)

To the Departments of Housing and Urban–Rural Development of all provinces and autonomous regions, the Housing and Urban–Rural Development (Administration) Committees of directly administered municipalities, the Housing and Urban–Rural Development Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and the Department of Transport of Shandong Province:

The “Criteria for Identifying Major Safety Hazards in Housing and Municipal Engineering Construction (2022 Edition)” (hereinafter referred to as the “Criteria”) is hereby circulated to you. Please ensure thorough implementation.

Housing and urban–rural development authorities at all levels must treat major risks and hazards as if they were accidents. Use the “Judgment Standards” as an important basis for regulatory enforcement. Urge all parties involved in construction projects to fulfill their principal responsibilities for identifying and addressing major accident hazards in accordance with the law, accurately assessing such hazards and promptly eliminating them. It is essential to rigorously implement systems such as public posting and supervised management of major accident hazards, with a focus on fundamentally eliminating these hazards and steadfastly upholding the bottom line of workplace safety.

Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development

April 19, 2022

(This document is publicly released.)

Criteria for Identifying Major Safety Hazards in Housing and Municipal Engineering Construction (2022 Edition)

Article 1 In order to accurately identify and promptly eliminate major hazards that could lead to serious production safety accidents in housing construction and municipal infrastructure projects, and to effectively prevent and curb accidents resulting in mass casualties, this Standard is formulated in accordance with laws and administrative regulations, including the Building Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Work Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China, and the Regulations on Safety Production Management for Construction Projects.

Article 2 For the purposes of this Standard, a “major accident hazard” refers to a production safety hazard existing during the construction of building projects and municipal infrastructure projects (hereinafter referred to as “building and municipal projects”) that is of a serious nature and may result in mass casualties or substantial economic losses.

Article 3 This standard applies to the identification of major hazards to production safety in municipal engineering projects involving the construction, expansion, reconstruction, or demolition of buildings.

The housing and urban–rural development authorities of people’s governments at the county level and above, as well as construction safety supervision agencies, may, during inspection and supervision, determine major hazards to production safety in housing and municipal engineering projects in accordance with this standard.

Article 4 Construction Safety Management Any of the following circumstances shall be classified as a major accident hazard:

(1) Construction Enterprises Has not obtained a work safety production license Engaging in construction activities without authorization;

(2) The principal person in charge of the construction unit, the project manager, and the full-time safety production management personnel Has not obtained the Certificate of Competency in Work Safety Assessment Engage in related work;

(3) Specialized Construction Workers Failure to obtain the special operations personnel operation qualification certificate Commence work;

(4) Sub-projects and sub-items with higher risks Specialized construction plans have not been prepared or reviewed. , or Failure to organize experts as required Special Construction Plan for “The Scope of Sub-projects and Sections with High Hazard Levels Exceeding a Certain Scale” Conduct an argument 。

Article 5 Excavation Engineering Any of the following circumstances shall be classified as a major accident hazard: ：

(1) With regard to adjacent important buildings, structures, and underground pipelines that may be damaged as a result of excavation pit construction, No specific protective measures have been implemented;

(2) Excavation Earthworks Overexcavation Moreover, no effective measures have been taken;

(3) Deep Excavation Construction No third-party monitoring has been conducted. ；

(4) Any one of the following warning signs of excavation collapse ， And it has not been handled in a timely manner. ：

1. Deformation values of the support structure or surrounding buildings Exceeds the design deformation control value ；

2. Cracks appear on the side walls of the excavation Extensive water leakage and soil erosion ；

3. Excavation Bottom Piping occurs ；

4. Soil Erosion Holes Between Piles Depth exceeds pile diameter 。

Article 6 Formwork engineering shall be classified as a major accident hazard if any of the following circumstances exist: ：

(1) Bearing capacity and deformation of the foundation for formwork engineering Does not meet design requirements ；

(2) The template support system bears Construction loads exceed the design values. ;

(3) During the removal of formwork supports and the lifting of slipform and climbing formwork, Concrete strength does not meet design or code requirements. 。

Article 7 Scaffolding Works Any of the following circumstances shall be classified as a major accident hazard: ：

(1) Bearing Capacity and Deformation of the Foundation for Scaffolding Works Does not meet design requirements ；

(2) No wall ties are installed, or wall ties are missing on an entire floor. ；

(3) Attached lifting scaffolds are put into use before passing inspection and acceptance;

(4) Anti-tilting, anti-fall, or synchronous lifting control devices for attached lifting scaffolds Does not meet design requirements, has failed, or has been intentionally dismantled and damaged. ；

(5) Attached lifting scaffolding Scaffolding during use The cantilever height exceeds two-fifths of the scaffold height or exceeds 6 meters. 。

Article 8 Lifting Machinery and Lifting Operations Any of the following circumstances shall be classified as a major accident hazard: ：

(1) Tower cranes, construction elevators, material hoists, and other lifting machinery and equipment Putting into use without passing acceptance inspection, or failing to register for use as required. ；

(2) Independent lifting height of tower cranes, spacing of attachment points, maximum overhang above the highest attachment point, and verticality Does not comply with regulatory requirements ；

(3) Attachment spacing of construction elevators, maximum overhang above the highest attachment, and verticality Does not comply with regulatory requirements ；

(4) Prior to the installation, dismantling, jacking and section addition, and attachment of lifting machinery Not yet addressed Structural components, lifting mechanisms and anchoring devices, as well as high-strength bolts, pins, locating plates and other connecting components, and safety devices. Conduct an inspection ；

(5) Construction lifting machinery Safety devices are incomplete, malfunctioning, or have been illegally removed or damaged. ；

(6) Fall-arrest safety device for construction elevators Exceeds the validity period of the periodic inspection , standard section connecting bolts Missing or invalid ；

(7) Construction lifting machinery The bearing capacity and deformation of the foundation do not meet the design requirements. 。

Article 9 Working at Heights Any of the following circumstances shall be classified as a major accident hazard: ：

(1) Bearing capacity and deformation of the foundation for support structures used in the installation of steel structures and space frames Does not meet design requirements , support structures for steel structure and space frame installation Failure to install anti-tilt devices as required by the design ;

(2) During the installation of a single steel truss (roof truss) No measures have been taken to prevent instability. ；

(3) Bearing points, anchorage points, and support points of cantilevered working platforms Not installed on a stable structural framework and not securely connected. 。

Article 10 Regarding temporary construction power supply Lighting for special working environments (tunnels, civil defense structures, high-temperature environments, environments with conductive dust, and relatively humid conditions, etc.) Failure to use safety voltage as prescribed ， Should be classified as a major accident hazard. 。

Article 11 Confined Space Work Any of the following circumstances shall be classified as a major accident hazard: ：

(1) Work in confined spaces was carried out without complying with the “Work Permit System” and without providing specialized safety training to construction personnel. The “ventilate first, detect next, then work” principle has not been followed. ；

(2) On-site during confined space operations No dedicated person is assigned to oversee the work. 。

Article 12 Regarding demolition works ， The sequence of demolition construction operations is not compliant. as required by the specifications and construction plan, Should be classified as a major accident hazard. 。

Article 13 Underground Excavation Project Any of the following circumstances shall be classified as a major accident hazard: ：

(1) Construction on a wet working surface No relevant measures have been taken. , or groundwater control measures Invalid and construction continues ；

(2) During construction, water bursts, sand surges, and localized collapses occur. Distortion or cracking of the support structure , and there is a continuous increasing trend, Failure to take timely measures 。

Article 14 The use of construction techniques, equipment, and materials that pose a high degree of hazard and may result in mass casualties or significant economic losses. ， Should be classified as a major accident hazard. 。

Article 15 Any other serious violations of laws, regulations, departmental rules, and mandatory standards governing work safety in housing and municipal engineering projects, where the degree of hazard is substantial and such violations pose a real risk of mass casualties or significant economic losses, shall be classified as major accident hazards.

Article 16 This standard shall come into effect as of the date of its promulgation. 。

Official Interpretation

Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development issued the “Criteria for Identifying Major Safety Hazards in Construction Projects of Buildings and Municipal Works (2022 Edition)” (hereinafter referred to as the “Criteria”). To help housing and urban–rural development authorities at all levels and all parties involved in construction projects better understand and implement the Criteria, relevant officials from the Department of Engineering Quality and Safety Supervision of the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development provided an interpretation.

Question: What is the background to the issuance of the “Standard”?

Answer: Safe production is a matter of paramount importance that directly concerns the safety of people’s lives and property; it is a key indicator of coordinated and healthy economic and social development, and a full manifestation of the Party and the government’s profound sense of responsibility for the interests of the people. The Party Central Committee and the State Council have always attached great importance to safe production, and especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has made a series of major decisions and arrangements, which have led to historic achievements in this field: the number of accidents and the number of fatalities have declined steadily for many consecutive years. In the field of housing and municipal engineering, the overall situation of construction safety has remained stable in recent years. In 2021, there were 15 accidents of a relatively serious level or above—marking the first time on record that the number fell below 20, a decrease of 31.82% compared with 2020 and 48.27% compared with 2012. At the same time, we must also clearly recognize that the total number of accidents in housing and municipal engineering remains high, and that serious and extremely serious accidents have yet to be eliminated. In particular, the two major accidents—the tunnel water-inrush incident in Zhuhai, Guangdong, on July 15 last year, and the landslide at a construction site in Bijie, Guizhou, on January 3 this year—resulted in extremely heavy losses and provided profoundly sobering lessons.

In response to the new circumstances and challenges facing workplace safety in the housing and municipal engineering sectors, the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development has conducted a comprehensive review of existing statutory and regulatory provisions as well as of serious and extremely serious production safety accidents that have occurred in recent years. The review has thoroughly analyzed the root causes of mass casualty incidents, systematically identified highly hazardous construction processes at job sites, and focused on deficiencies in project safety management, unsafe human behaviors, and unsafe conditions of equipment and materials, thereby clarifying the criteria for identifying major accident hazards. Some of these findings have been validated through practical application and unanimously endorsed by all parties involved in construction projects, and thus warrant reaffirmation; others are specifically designed to address emerging risks and prevent new problems, and therefore require close attention.

The issuance of the “Standard” fully embodies the principle of “putting the people first and life above all else,” represents a crucial measure for steadily advancing the identification and remediation of potential accident hazards, and provides important technical support for strengthening the implementation of work safety responsibilities and for targeted prevention and containment of serious and extremely serious accidents.

Question: What are the principles underlying the development of the Standard?

Answer: The following principles are primarily followed:

First, we must remain problem-oriented. We should draw profound lessons from serious and extremely serious accidents, thoroughly analyze the root causes of the hundreds of mass-casualty accidents that have occurred in recent years, and focus on preventing the frequent occurrence of workplace safety incidents. Use the cause of the accident as the basis for determination. 。

Second, focus on high-risk links. Fully reflect the characteristics of the housing and municipal engineering industry, ensuring comprehensive coverage of high-risk construction processes and key areas. Focus Construction lifting machinery, excavation works, formwork engineering and support systems, scaffolding works, demolition works, underground mining works, and steel structure engineering. Wait High-risk sub-projects 。

Third, consider the actual danger. Where rectification is highly challenging and can only be fully or partially accomplished by immediately suspending production and operations. Otherwise, safety production accidents may occur at any time; the criteria for assessment shall be deficiencies in project safety management, unsafe human behaviors, or unsafe conditions of objects.

Fourth, extensive consultations were conducted. The Standard was submitted for comments to the housing and urban–rural development authorities of all 31 provincial-level administrative regions nationwide, as well as to the general public, thereby drawing on the experience and expertise of relevant organizations across the country—including construction, contracting, design, and supervision firms—as well as universities and research institutions, and forging a consensus on work safety among industry professionals.

Question: What are the main contents of the “Standard”?

Answer: First, the legal basis, the definition of major accident hazards, and the scope of application of the Standard (comprising Articles 1, 2, and 3).

The Standard is primarily formulated in accordance with the Building Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Work Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Regulations on Safety Production Management for Construction Projects, as well as relevant departmental rules and mandatory standards.

According to the Standard, a “major accident hazard” refers to a production safety hazard existing during the construction of housing and municipal projects that is of a severe nature and could result in mass casualties or substantial economic losses.

The standard applies to the determination of new construction, expansion, reconstruction, and demolition. Major safety hazard in production for housing and municipal engineering projects.

Second, the criteria for identifying major accident hazards in the management foundation category (a total of two provisions: Article 4 and Article 15).

This section focuses on deficiencies in project safety management and unsafe human behaviors, specifying that circumstances such as construction conducted by enterprises without a work safety production license, the employment of safety management personnel and special-operation personnel without proper certification, and the failure to obtain approval for construction plans for hazardous and large-scale projects shall be classified as major accident hazards.

Third, the criteria for identifying major safety hazards in on-site physical facilities (a total of 10 provisions, Articles 5 through 14).

This section focuses on the unsafe conditions of objects and, based on a thorough analysis of the causes of mass casualty accidents in recent years, Clarified Excavation works, formwork works, scaffolding works, lifting machinery and hoisting works, work at heights, temporary construction electrical power supply, confined-space operations, demolition works, underground mining works, and the use of construction techniques that pose a risk to production safety. Circumstances Covered by the Ten Categories of Major Accident Hazards 。

For example, the circumstances stipulated in Article 6, paragraph (3), Originating from the particularly serious November 24 cooling tower construction platform collapse accident at the Fengcheng Power Plant in Jiangxi Province in 2016. , the direct cause of this accident was The construction contractor illegally removed the formwork despite insufficient concrete strength in the 50th segment of the cooling tower’s cylindrical wall. , resulting in the substructure being unable to withstand the superstructure loads and causing a total collapse, Resulting in the deaths of 73 workers 。

For example, the circumstances stipulated in Article 8, paragraph (1), Originating from the major construction elevator cage fall accident on April 25, 2019, in Hengshui, Hebei Province. 。 This accident is After the jacking and attachment operations of the construction elevator are completed, In sections 16 and 17, two bolts at the standard joint locations were not installed, and the structure was put into service without prior acceptance inspection. . Despite receiving a supervision notice to cease the unauthorized use, the party continues to use it, Ultimately resulting in 11 fatalities. 。

Question: How can publicity and training be strengthened to ensure the effective implementation of the Standard?

Answer: The Standard is highly targeted and practical for preventing and mitigating major risks and hazards; effectively implementing the Standard is a crucial foundational task for ensuring safe production in housing and municipal engineering projects.

First, housing and urban–rural development authorities at all levels shall actively organize and carry out publicity and implementation of the Standard, diligently promote the Standard and provide clear interpretations of its policies, ensure that relevant personnel in construction safety supervision agencies are thoroughly familiar with and proficient in the Standard’s content, and effectively enhance the level of safety management.

Second, the Standard serves as a crucial tool for the safety supervision and management of housing and municipal engineering projects. Housing and urban–rural development authorities at all levels shall promptly organize professional training for all parties involved in project construction, ensuring that the Standard is effectively implemented across construction, supervision, and design firms, and fully leveraging its positive role in promoting workplace safety.

Third, we must rigorously carry out the identification and remediation of potential safety hazards. Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development issued a notice deploying a nationwide campaign to enhance workplace safety in housing and municipal engineering projects, with the aim of comprehensively identifying and addressing all types of hazards, preventing workplace accidents, and creating a safe environment conducive to the successful convening of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The notice explicitly requires that housing and urban–rural development authorities at all levels strictly adhere to the criteria for identifying major accident hazards when conducting inspections to uncover such risks.

Next, the housing and urban–rural development authorities in all localities Focus on identifying and addressing major hazards. ， Highlight Construction lifting machinery, excavation works, formwork engineering and support systems, scaffolding works, demolition works, underground mining works, and steel structure engineering. Wait Major Hazardous Project ， as well as high-risk work activities such as work at heights and work in confined spaces ， “By enterprise, by project, and by equipment” Precisely identify and eliminate major hazards to ensure that safety risks at construction sites remain under control.

All localities must earnestly assume their political responsibility for preventing and defusing major safety risks, steadfastly uphold the safety bottom line, and rigorously ensure the effective implementation of the Standards, with tangible results. Major accident hazards must be placed under supervised management with public signage, subject to closed-loop management and item-by-item tracking of rectification and implementation. Enterprises and individuals who refuse or delay rectification must be held strictly accountable to ensure that all corrective measures are fully implemented and that safety hazards are thoroughly eliminated.