On 13 May a severe gas explosion took place at the Luling Coalmine, run by the Huaibei Mining Group Company Limited [HMGCL]. The Anhui provincial government immediately held a multimedia meeting to discuss issues relating to occupational safety the following day [14 May]. In the meeting, a written instruction from the State Council was delivered which called upon the whole province to take emergency measures to in check and improve occupational safety. Zhang Ping, the standing committee of the Provincial Party Committee and the assistant provincial governor attended the meeting and gave an important speech.
The meeting pointed out that in 2003 the problem of work accidents in the province has been worsening. Although the number of types of accidents decreased in the first 4 months, compared with the same period of time last year; the total number of injuries and deaths due to occupational accidents increased. Moreover, severe and extraordinarily serious accidents have increased in a huge rate; some types of occupational hazards increased inversely and violations of occupational safety rules were not uncommon. Therefore, governments, departments and units at all levels must realize this unpleasant situation and have more responsibility, better combativity and stronger sense of mission in improving occupational safety. Occupational safety must be treated as an especially important task and grasped firmly.
Zhang Ping asked all enterprises to draw a lesson from the Luling coalmine accident and immediately proceed on the promotion of occupational safety. He suggested that until late June, the production procedures of all enterprises in Anhui should be checked and errors rectified, in order to re-establish safe practice habits to ensure production safety. The check-up would include investigating the hidden factors of occupational hazards and immediately removing them, to make sure no production, transportation and marketing is allowed for those enterprises, which were not safety approved. By eliminating unsafe practices, Zhang wished to earnestly implement the responsibilities and policies of occupational safety. To be more specific, coalmines, non-coaly mines, hazardous chemical industry, road / sea transport networks, public areas would be seriously examined to avoid further severe or extraordinarily serious accidents.
Zhang emphasized that to continue ensuring occupational safety; the blunt, loose-principled and weary attitude must be overcome. He believed that both being strict in enforcing the laws, and increasing the implementation power of occupational safety law were crucial in carrying out the mission. On the other hand, measures such as tightening up safety standards, introducing the idea of safety in production and cracking down on illegal production and business must be adopted.
Concerning coalmine safety, it must be based on the rule of one pass and three preventions(Note 1). Safety technology needs to be improved and innovated, while safety examinations, hazard prevention devices and policies are to be carried out completely. Regular safety evaluations in coalmines and annual check for four approvals(Note 2)must be strictly followed. For those coalmine suspected of being unsafe, no production should be resumed until it improves its occupational safety to a satisfactory level.
Zhang Ping pointed out that occupational safety was extremely important during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome [SARS] crisis. All locations, departments and units must strengthen the control of occupational safety, catch up with new problems or situations, which might occur due to the SARS crisis and solve them immediately. All parties have to take preventive measures in examining and supervising possible places of SARS-infectious and means of transportation. For SARS infected areas and hospital hosting SARS patients, the fire fighting equipment, electrical supply, gas pipes and all other specific devices must be carefully examined and prepared to eliminate all hidden causes of hazard and prevent any kind of accidents.
Zhang Ping requested that there must be parties who are [clearly] responsible for occupational safety and who will be called into account if anything went wrong; and also that governments, departments and units at all levels had to be highly responsible for the state and the people. Officials have to follow the requirements set by the Theory of Three Represents (Note 3), always keep occupational safety in their minds and carry out specific measures for occupational safety urgently as there should be no halt in the promotion of occupational safety. On the other hand, those violating occupational safety should be prosecuted more seriously in accordance with the Four Principles of Forbiddance (Note 4). Zhang believed that serious prosecutions and punishments could accelerate the implementation of responsibility and policies on occupational safety and will lead to the long term improvement of the provinces economy and social stability.
Online: 26 June 2003
Notes
(1)The government required all coalmine operators to follow One Pass Three Preventions in production, which states that mines with a high level of gas or coal fumes must be well ventilated before mining. No production is allowed when 1) the ventilation is not compatible with the gas / coal level, 2) no testing device for examining the gas / coal level is in place or not working in the mine or 3) a mine has not been examined and approval by the provincial government.
Reference: http://www.chinacoal-safety.gov.cn/aagg/aqjw2002-21.doc
(2)The Four Approvals for a coalmine to operate includes certificate for operation in the coalfield, approval for a certain person to be the coalmine manager, occupational safety proof and business license of the enterprise which runs the coalmine.
Reference: http://www.bjgtfgj.gov.cn/progasp/flfg/detail.asp?ar_id=704&cl_id=5
(3)The Theory of Three Represents was raised by Jiang Zemin, as the indication of the future policies of the Party. It states that the party must represent the development needs of the most advanced forces of production, the orientation of advanced culture, and the fundamental interests of the majority of Chinas people.
Reference: http://www.goasiapacific.com/specials/friendships/features_china_capital...
(4)Four Principles of Forbiddance is the article 73 from the Occupational Safety Laws, which was issued in November 2002. It states; the causes of occupational accidents must be investigated carefully; persons concerned must be held responsible for the accidents; programs on occupational safety must be carried out and fulfilled; workers or persons concerned must be educated properly.
Reference: http://www.zj.xinhuanet.com/authority/2003-04/12/content_392051.htm