Officials: Improved work safety a priority
( 2002-11-19 09:15 ) (1 )

Senior officials on work safety pledged Monday that the government will step up all possible efforts to improve safety in the workplace across the country.

"The work safety situation is still grave in China and we should try our best to set up an efficient safety system nationwide to curb accidents," said Wang Xianzheng, head of the State Administration of Work Safety, at a televized conference on the issue Monday.

He said special attention will be paid to the mining sector, enterprises producing toxic chemical products and transportation companies to reduce accidents.

A total of 109 people were killed in six mining and traffic accidents in November, according to Shan Chunchang, deputy administrator of work safety.

One recent example was a gas explosion in a village-run mine in Liangdu Town in Jinzhong, North China's Shanxi Province on November 10 which killed 37 people.

Dangers in work safety remain hidden in most regions because of low productivity and less safety awareness among local officials and employers, Shan said.

"Private industries are the weak area for safety in industrial production," Shan warned.

About 74 per cent of serious accidents in industrial and mining enterprises occurred in the private sector, statistics show.

Shan said China will continuously focus on the management of coal mines, dangerous chemicals and road and water transportation.

In addition, China will also close more small workshops and retailers of explosives and fireworks. Those held responsible for industrial production accidents will be severely punished according to the law, he added.

Shan said the work safety situation in China lags behind developed countries.

"The situation indicated that an uphill battle in work safety awaits us," said Shan.

"Coal mines, especially those with small production capacities, have always been our concern though work safety has improved to some degree over the past few years," Shan said.

Lack of safety awareness and problems in management and out-of-date production equipment not only hold back the development of the nation's coal industry, but also threaten the lives of miners, Shan said.

For key coal mines, supervision work will focus on ventilation systems and measures to prevent fires and the buildup of gas, and floating coal particles, he said.