Development of Safety Regulation and Management System in Energy Industry of China: Comparative and Case Study Perspectives

Safety regulation and management in China is reviewed. The review provides insight into the regulation, standards and management practice adopted, and it identifies trends and needs for improvement in China. The research finds that China is actively improving its safety regulation system by revising laws and standards, and entitling regulatory organizations with new functions; at the same time, more companies in China are aware of the importance of safety management and accreditation. At the current stage, the legal systems in China are effective in terms of improving awareness of and investment in safety management. However, there is a long way to go before effective safety management system implementation and mature safety culture in place. From the experience of safety legislation and management in Australia, we find that safety culture and implementation are essential to the healthy development of energy industry. We conclude that safety regulation and management would benefit greatly from guidance on how to form safety management system and cultivate safety culture, as well as from the further development of feasible performance measures.