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China's deadly mines
By Joe Havely
(CNN) -- China's mines are among the most deadly workplaces in the world with fatal accidents reported on an almost daily basis. Many deaths go unrecorded because mine owners fear being punished and local officials in poorer regions are keen to keep open what is often one of the few sources of employment. On top of that, coal, which dominates China's huge mining industry, is a much-needed resource in energy-hungry China, providing some 70 percent of the nation's fuel needs. With demand for energy soaring as China's grows at breakneck speed, many mine owners flagrantly cut corners, and even the most basic safety laws in the pursuit of a quick profit. Taking the risk
Backed up by a growing unemployment problem, there is also a seemingly inexhaustible supply of labor, many of them migrants, willing to take the risk in return for a wage. The International Labor Organization -- the United Nations body set up to oversee workers rights and industrial safety -- says the high death toll in China's mines should be a focus for urgent action. "Since virtually all mine accidents are preventable the fact that they continue to such an extent in China is particularly worrying to all concerned," the ILO says. The organization says it is urging China to adopt the International Convention on Safety and Health in Mines, so far taken up by 17 countries, all of whom have recorded big reductions in mining fatalities. To effectively tackle mining related deaths, the ILO says action will be needed on several fronts," notably inspection, education, training, investment in appropriate equipment in mines large and small, and a change in attitude towards a safety culture." By far the most deadly of Chinese mines are those operated by small private firms or local governments. CrackdownsIn the past five years, thousands of such mines have been ordered closed by the central government in Beijing during periodic crackdowns, often in response to a particularly deadly accident. However many have subsequently reopened, often operating in collusion with local officials who receive backhanders from the mine owners in return for turning a blind eye. Some observers say the stiff penalties the government has promised to impose on mine owners found breaking safety rules may actually be counterproductive, leading to even more accidents going unreported or deliberately covered up. Severe laws passed in Beijing may make the government look like it is taking the issue seriously, but the ILO says for such laws to be effective training, education, information sharing and awareness raising, resources and cooperation must also be provided in quantity. "Merely outlawing a particular practice or closing a mine without preventing recurrence or re-opening has no effect," says one ILO official. "Once an operation is illegal, adhering to safety and health regulations is likely to be the last thing on a mine operator's mind."
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