Wang Xianzheng, director of the State Administration of Production Safety (SAPS), told a press conference that small and medium-sized enterprises were responsible for 64.7 percent of workplace accidents and 63.6 percent of the total death toll in the country over the past few years.

SAPS Deputy Director Shan Chunchang said most of these enterprises lack effective management and expertise on workplace safety. Although two thirds of workplace accidents occurred at these businesses, few have paid for injury and unemployment insurance for their employees.

In contrast, large state-owned enterprises improved their safety record markedly in recent years. The death toll at key state-owned coal mines dropped to an average 1.43 persons for every one million tons of coal output this year from 1.62 persons last year. The fatality ratio at other local state-owned coal mines also dropped from 4.83 to 3.45 persons, Wang said. The death rates were far below the national average of 4.8 persons.

However, the average death toll at township mines still stood at 13.18 persons for every one million tons of coal so far this year, despite an eight percentage point decrease from last year. For example, more than 110 people were killed in a gas explosion at Jixi coal mine in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on June 20.

Wang said the total number of accidents rose as China's economy and national strength grew. He noted that the country is extending its highway network by over 20,000 km and the number of automobiles is increasing by nearly 10 million every year. Meanwhile, the average death toll for every 10,000 automobiles on the road has dropped.

However, Wang pointed out that China still has a long way to go compared with developed countries in terms of workplace safety.

Shan said according to the new Work Safety Law, small and medium-sized companies in certain trades like mining, construction and transportation should take measures to improve workplace safety. Those with over 300 employees should have specialized organs and personnel in charge of safety, and those with fewer employees should designate full- or part-time personnel to do the work.

These companies should also provide injury and unemployment insurance for their employees and are encouraged to establish labor unions. A system of "certified safety engineers" has also been launched by the authorities to provide technical support for safety in production in small and medium-sized enterprises.

Wang said the Chinese government is establishing and perfecting a four-tier network of workplace safety supervision at central, provincial, regional and county levels around the country. The government will focus on improving safety conditions at coal mines and hazardous chemical plants. It will close unsafe small coal mines and illegal enterprises producing, transporting, storing, distributing and using hazardous chemicals.

Statistics showed that in addition to traffic accidents, a total of 218,935 accidents occurred in China during January and September this year, killing 19,150 people.

(Xinhua News Agency October 30, 2002)