The issue of China's appalling workplace safety record is increasingly making headlines of late; unfortunately, much of this news is reactionary in nature, following on the heels of a particularly egregious tragedy. However, a few articles more general in nature have emerged, offering a broader overview of workplace safety (or lack thereof) in China. Earlier this week Reuters published a story offering a glimpse into China's grim workplace safety statistics. (1)
Workplace accidents kill hundreds of people in China every day, with coal mines, the most dangerous in the world, topping the death toll.
Not surprisingly, the leading victims of workplace tragedy are coal miners. According to the article:
Coal mine disasters alone killed 2,187 people in the first five months of this year -- more than 14 a day -- almost 10 percent more than in the same period of last year. (In total) More than 6,000 miners were killed in explosions, floods and other disasters at Chinese mines in 2004.
With all forms of industry considered, an average of 300 workers per day have died in industrial accidents in the first half of this year according to figures released by Xinhua (subsequently reported by Reuters). The article also quotes Wang Dexue, deputy director of the State Administration of Work Safety, as saying that "China saw 350,000 accidents of various types from January to June 10, which claimed 52,000 lives."
Wang Dexue was also quoted in a Xinhua article earlier this month as saying that there had been 23 major coal mine accidents ("major" here meaning 10+ fatalities) in the first five months of 2005, and that China has seen 350,000 accidents of various types (both in and out of the mining industry) in the same period. In total, these accidents have claimed the lives of 52,000 Chinese workers. (2)
Without going into specific figures, Wang also mentions other workplace hazards, such as occupational illnesses. It's worth noting that the government official in one sentence ties occupational hazards with economic loss:
In addition, the production safety situation still presents perils, including a large group of occupational disease patients and potentially large economic loss, Wang said.
It is unclear, however, whether the "economic loss" referred to by Wang is that of the sick and injured workers themselves, or by their employers due to temporary reductions in their workforce. However, Wang later is quoted as placing much of the blame for workplace accidents on the employers:
The major reason for the soaring accident figures is enterprises' failure to fulfill their responsibilities for production safety, he (Wang) said.
Though often overshadowed by disasters larger in scale, smaller and usually preventable workplace tragedies are also being reported on a daily basis. Today (21 June 2005) Reuters reported on an accident in a chemical plant in SW Sichuan province in which at least seven are known to have been killed, with an additional nine injured or missing. (3) Yesterday, Xinhua reported on a fire in a Shanghai textile factory in which three workers were killed and 13 injured. (4) Preliminary blame for this tragedy is being placed on management. According to the report:
Primary investigation showed that a locked exit and victims erroneous way to escape attributed much to casualties by the fire, which affected an area of 30 square meters.
Sources:
- Reuters: China work accidents kill hundreds a day (17 June 2005)
- Xinhua: Coalmine death toll rises 9.7% in 1st 5 months (16 June 2005)
- Reuters: Seven killed, buildings flattened in China blast (21 June 2005)
- Xinhua: Garment factory blaze leaves 3 dead in Shanghai (20 June 2005)
22 June 2005