State Administration of Work Safety Tuesday unveiled the regulations stipulating the reporting and investigation of the work safety accidents. Agencies and companies could be fined up to 5 million yuan (US$660,900) if they cover up work accidents.

Under the regulations, agencies and firms will also incur hefty fines if their staff deliberately disrupts accident sites, or transfer and hide evidence.

They will also incur fines if the staff refuses to assist investigations, give false testimony or ask others to do so, or leave the scene of an accident.

Smaller fines ranging from one million to 2 million yuan would be administered if their actions do not hinder rescue efforts, the regulations stated.

The regulations also said the heads of the agencies and firms will get fines equal to 80 percent of their annual incomes for failure to organize timely rescue operations and 40 to 60 percent for covering up accidents or delaying the reporting of accidents.

Meanwhile, they will receive penalties equaling 60 to 80 percent of their annual incomes for evading investigations.

(Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2007)