China wants to cut coal miners' work day
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-06-30 14:05

China plans to limit the time coal miners have to spend at work underground to six hours a day in a bid to halt a trend of soaring fatalities in its mining industry, Xinhua news agency reported Thursday.

A relative a coal mine blast victim weeps at a coal mine in Loudi, Central China's Henan Province in this picture taken on June 9, 2005. Twenty-two miners were killed in the accident. [newsphoto]

Coal miners are currently made to work eight hours a day on average, exhausting them to the point where they make fatal mistakes and lives are lost, Xinhua said.

"With more sleep and a clearer mind, miners could be more efficient," Yue Fubin, an expert with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the agency.

The intention of cutting the work day to six hours is stated in a new document from the State Council, the country's Cabinet, Xinhua said. It did not say if there was a timetable for when the change should be implemented.

The timing of the new policy may be awkward for the nation's coal mining companies, since China's economy is currently growing at nearly double-digit rates and relies on coal for two thirds of its energy demand.

However, experts told Xinhua that coal mining companies would simply have to add another shift to the current three daily shifts.

Official figures show that more than 6,000 miners died in accidents in China last year. Many fatalities occur at illegally operating mines.

"There is still a lot to do to improve the quality of miners' life, especially for those working for private coal mine owners," said Yue.

"Local social security departments should take more initiative to oversee how the coal mine managers carry out the decision."

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