This year China will set up a National Command Center for Work
Safety-related Emergency Rescue Operations and build professional
quick-response rescue teams, says an official with China’s State
Administration of Work Safety.
Zhao Tiechui, vice administrator in charge of work safety
nationwide, made the announcement at a press conference sponsored
by the State Council Information Office on February 24. He reviewed
the work safety situation in 2003 and set out the priorities for
2004.
According to Zhao, 963,976 accidents of various types occurred
nationwide in 2003, causing 136,340 fatalities. These two figures
reflect declines of 10.5 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively,
from the previous year.
But industrial and mining enterprises saw an increase of 10.2
percent, to 15,597, in the number of fatal accidents. The total
death toll stood at 2,383. The death toll from fires also climbed
to 2,497. Off-train accidents were a major killer, with 8,530
people dying in 12,640 accidents.
The opening weeks of the current year did not bode well for
improvements in the situation.
"Entering 2004, there were 27 major accidents. Of those, 26
occurred in public places and killed 382 people. The number of
accidents with death tolls of more than 30 people is also on the
rise, especially in non-work-related public areas," reported
Zhao.
Not long before the press conference, another coal mine explosion
in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province killed at least 24
workers. The accident occurred in a mine that had been shut down
for safety violations but which then illegally resumed
operations.
“It's a management problem,” said Zhao. “Such small, unlicensed
coal mines are the biggest headaches and the key to preventing more
accidents and deaths. Ignoring work safety is overlooking the lives
and fundamental interests of the people and cannot be allowed by
the law."
The Chinese government has developed eight measures to quell the
number of work-related accidents. According to Zhao, "Work safety
supervision will no longer just be an individual responsibility but
will also have the law behind it. Occasional inspections will
become standardized, and the focus will change from consequences
for accidents to preventative measures. In addition, we'll launch a
series of promotional campaigns to enhance public awareness of work
safety."
Zhao Tiechui said that renewed pledges of vigilance and
condemnation following every accident are not enough. He called for
mass participation in strengthening work safety and in building a
sound rescue system in event of emergencies.
The central government will soon upgrade compensation criteria,
forcing enterprises and local governments to invest more in work
safety.
Overall, China is looking for a 2.5 percent year-on-year
reduction in the death toll from accidents in 2004. Key sectors
will be targeted for improvement, including mines, road and water
traffic, dangerous chemicals, blasting materials for civil use,
fireworks, and firefighting in crowded public areas.
(China.org.cn February 24, 2004)