Promulgated by Document No. 15 of the Ministry of Labor on January 18, 1990, effective as of January 18, 1990.
Article 1 — Purpose — These Provisions are formulated in accordance with the Labor Law of the People’s Republic of China and the Labor Protection Regulations for Female Employees for the purposes of protecting the physical and mental health of female employees and their children and safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of female employees.
Article 2 — Purpose and Basis — These Provisions specify the scope of work prohibited for female employees and clarify the obligations of employers in protecting female employees from occupational hazards.
Article 3 — Work Prohibited for All Female Employees — Female employees shall be prohibited from engaging in the following work:
1. Underground work in mines;
2. Forestry industry logging and timber transport work;
3. Work with Grade IV physical labor intensity as specified in the National Standards for Classification of Physical Labor Intensity;
4. Assembly and dismantling of scaffolding in the construction industry, and high-altitude operations in the power and telecommunications industries;
5. Continuous heavy load operations requiring a single load weight exceeding 25 kg per lifting instance (or 25 kg per handle with two persons), and intermittent heavy load operations exceeding the prescribed hourly negative load limits.
Article 4 — Work Prohibited During Menstrual Period — During the menstrual period, female employees shall be prohibited from engaging in the following work:
1. Work in food freezing warehouses, cold water operations and other low-temperature operations;
2. Work with Grade III physical labor intensity as specified in the National Standards for Classification of Physical Labor Intensity;
3. High-altitude work at Grade II or above as specified in the National Standards for Classification of High-Altitude Operations.
Article 5 — Work Prohibited for Pregnant Female Employees — Pregnant female employees shall be prohibited from engaging in the following work:
1. Work in workplaces where the concentration of toxic or harmful substances such as lead and its compounds, mercury and its compounds, benzene, cadmium, beryllium, arsenic, cyanide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon disulfide, chlorine, hexane, chloroprene, vinyl chloride, ethylene oxide, aniline, formaldehyde, etc. exceeds the national occupational health standards;
2. Work involving the production of anti-cancer drugs and estrogens;
3. Operations involving radioactive substances exceeding the prescribed dose limits;
4. Earthwork and stonework operations with Grade III physical labor intensity as specified in the National Standards for Classification of Physical Labor Intensity;
5. Operations with strong whole-body vibration, such as rock drilling rig operators and tamping machine operators;
6. Operations requiring frequent bending, climbing or squatting, such as welding operations;
7. High-altitude work at Grade I or above as specified in the National Standards for Classification of High-Altitude Operations.
Article 6 — Work Prohibited During Breastfeeding Period — Female employees during the breastfeeding period shall be prohibited from engaging in the following work:
1. Work specified in Items 1 and 5 of Article 5 of these Provisions;
2. Work in workplaces where the concentration of toxic or harmful substances such as manganese, fluorine, bromine, methanol, organophosphorus compounds, organochlorine compounds, etc. exceeds the national occupational health standards.
Article 7 — Employer Obligations — Employers shall strengthen the labor protection of female employees, take measures to improve working conditions, and regularly inspect compliance with these Provisions.
Article 8 — Supplementary Provisions — These Provisions shall come into force on January 18, 1990.
This translation is provided for informational purposes only. For legal matters, please consult the original Chinese text or seek professional legal advice. For assistance with female employee protection and workplace safety compliance in China, please contact Dan Young Business Consultancy.
