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Congressional-Executive Commission on China
Coal Mine Safety in China: Can the Accident Rate Be Reduced?
Friday, December 10, 2004 at 10:00 AM
Rayburn House Office Building Room 2255
Statement of
Dave Feickert
The global economic and energy context ¨C last year China contributed a third of world economic growth. As a result of the size and speed of growth, China¡¯s energy demand has been increasing rapidly, with electricity generating capacity equivalent to total UK capacity being added every two years. This has led to a rapid increase in both indigenous and imported energy use, leading to upward pressure on international prices, especially of oil and coal. Chinese energy demand is not only strategic for its own economy, but it has become a strategic factor in global demand, price structure and, potentially, supply.
Coal Production in China
- Chinese coal production increased from 929 million tonnes in 2001 to 1,431 million tonnes in 2003 (BP 2004 Statistical Review of World Energy ¨C converted from Mtoe to metric Mtce). Actual physical tonnage was 1.7 Bn tonnes in 2003 which, by August 2004, was 15% higher than for the same period in 2003.
- With such pressure on production, pressure flows through onto working conditions, especially as the industry is so various in its nature. In villages, some small mines are virtually equivalent to the ¡®Bell pits¡¯ existing in 18th century Britain, while large new mines elsewhere are highly mechanised. Small mine output increased by 29% in 2003 (36% of total); ¡®county¡¯ mines make up 17% of output and large state mines produce 48% of output.
Coal Mine Safety Statistics
- Figures provided to the ILO reveal 6,434 fatalities in 2003, 561 fewer deaths than in 2002. The first six months of 2004 show 346 fewer deaths than in 2003. In 2003 the fatal accident rate in large mines was reported as 1.1/Mt; in county mines, 3/Mt; in small mines 7.6/Mt. The US Mines Rescue Association has tabulated the main location by mine site for fatal accidents in 2002 (attachment one).
- Given the nature of the industry the safety and health problems common to coal industries elsewhere often exist in more dramatic form: dust/heat/noise ¨C silicosis, pneumoconiosis, hearing loss and vibration; gas detection, fire and explosion prevention are major issues; bureaucratic problems in emergency response; inspection, especially in smaller mines, is inadequate; training is limited to larger mines; mines with a single entry/exit (not in compliance with ILO C176 Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995).
Historical comparisons ¨C the experience of the UK
- Over 100,000 miners have been killed at work in the UK since national records were first kept in 1850. Many thousands died before that date and hundreds of thousands have been seriously injured at work or were hit by serious occupational illness.
- During the second part of the 20th century the UK came to have one of the lowest accident rates in the world, but this took more than a century of sustained effort to achieve. In 1910, when the UK workforce was above 1 million men, 1,818 miners were killed in mine accidents. In the peak production year of 1913 (287 Mt) 1,785 were killed, giving a fatal accident rate per Mt slightly higher than the current Chinese rate (6.2/Mt vs. 5/Mt).
UK safety structure
- By 1911 the UK had a well-structured system of statutory safety inspection, a statutory role for pit safety supervisors (deputies) and a statutory role for worker inspectors (elected by the workforce and providing a statutory inspection report), a role that was created originally in 1872. (More detail is provided in Mr McNestry¡¯s evidence.)
- Moreover, the industry had a trade union structure that re-enforced and defended these statutory functions.
- Following nationalisation, much more progress was made in 1946 with the introduction of a system of safety consultation operating at all levels and later, with the 1954 Mines and Quarries Act, the ¡®safety bible¡¯. As modern monitoring and detection technologies became available it became possible to improve safety still further.
- By the late 1980¡¯s the UK deep mine industry had become one of the world¡¯s most technologically advanced. The rapid closure of the industry in the 1990¡¯s had little to do with either its safety or cost structure but was a consequence of the way electricity supply industry was privatised.
Proposals for joint future work
A number of initiatives are already being taken, offering support to China¡¯s coal mining industry:
- The ILO is working directly with China on a number of issues, including a successful project to train small-scale miners in Hunan province. It is lobbying the Chinese Government to ratify C176, the ILO Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995. The US, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia are among the mining countries that have already done so. Within the EU those that have ratified are: Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden. Luxembourg has decided to ratify all ILO OSH Conventions and, during its forthcoming Presidency of the EU, will seek to persuade the others, including the UK.
- A joint ILO/ICEM/ICMM delegation (international federations of energy and mining trade unions and employers) will have returned from China by 10 December, after investigating how a tripartite approach from outside as well as inside China could be used to improve mine safety.
- A similar and linked Australian tripartite initiative is also taking shape.
- The US National Safety Council has a contract to improve mine inspection and mine rescue.
- Other initiatives (including in the EU) are being developed that could provide practical support, based on experience gained in other mining countries.
22.10.04
Appendix
List of Coal Mine Accidents in China, 2002
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In terms of fatalities, accidents are categorised into three types: serious - 3 deaths or above; very serious - 10 deaths or above; extremely serious - 30 deaths or above. The following table excludes 'serious accidents.'
Date
(mm-dd)
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Province/
Municipality
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Name and Location
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Type
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Fatalities
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Mine ownership/Legal status
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12-23
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Guizhou
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Sanchahe Coal Mine, Qiannanbuzhou District
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Blast
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17 dead, 2 injured
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Privately run with permit
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12-22
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Gansu
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Xiaonangou Coal Mine, Lanzhou City Jincheng Tourism Co., Baiyin City
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Blast
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11 dead
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Check passed but permit not issued yet
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12-21
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Guizhou
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Zhongxin No.3 Coal Mine, Bijie District
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Gas build-up
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12 dead
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Township and village mine with permit
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12-06
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Jilin
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Wanbao Mining Bureau Coal Shaft No.2, Taonan city
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Fire
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30 dead
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State-owned; victims' families put in different lodgings to prevent collective action
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11-14
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Yunnan
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Guoshuigou Coal Mine, Kunming City
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blast
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11 dead
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Privately run; official check passed; permit not issued yet
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11-10
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Shanxi
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Taixi Coal Mine, Jinzhong city
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Blast
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37 dead, 17 survivors
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Village mine with no permit
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11-08
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Shanxi
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Xipan Village Coal Mine, Yangquan city
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Blast
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26 dead, 9 survivors
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Township and village mine with permit
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10-31
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Inner Mongolia
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Changsheng Coal Mine, Baotou City
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Blast and blaze
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14 dead
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Township and village mine with permit
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10-29
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Guangxi
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Ertang Coal Mine, Nanning city
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fire
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30 dead, 5 survivors
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State-owned
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10-23
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Shanxi
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Zhujiadian Coal Mine, Luliang District
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blast
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44 dead, 22 survivors
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State-owned
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09-10
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Henan
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Daluzai Coal Mine, Hebi City
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blast
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13 dead, 22 survivors
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Township and village mine with permit
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09-03
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Hunan
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Qiuhu Mining Co. Ltd, Loudi city
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Gas build-up
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39 dead, 16 survivors
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Shareholding mining co., check passed
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08-29
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Guizhou
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Sixiang Coal Mine, Bijie District
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Water leakage and flood
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16 dead
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Privately run with no permit; 16 missing, presumably dead
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08-14
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Jiangxi
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Yongshan Coal Mine, Jingdezhen city
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blast
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13 dead
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State-owned but illegally subcontracted; ordered to close down
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08-12
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Heilongjiang
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Lixin Coal Mine, Jixi City
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blast
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11 dead
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Township and village mine with no permit
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08-10
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Henan
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Guowan Coal Mine, Zengzhou Mining Bureau
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Water leakage and flood
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10 dead
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State-owned
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08-04
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Shanxi
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A mine shaft owned by Chiyu Labour Services Co., Houzhou city
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fire
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18 dead, 1 survivor
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Check not passed yet
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07-24
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Guizhou
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Taojiawan Coal Mine, Liupanshui city
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blast
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18 dead, 7 injured
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Privately run with no permit
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07-15
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Shanxi
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Dayangquan Coal Mine, Yangquan city
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blast
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12 dead
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State-owned
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07-08
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Heilongjiang
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Dingsheng Coal Mine, Hegang city
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blast
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44 dead
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Township and village mine; check passed; business permit not issued yet
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07-07
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Guangdong
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Lianda Coal Mine, Shaoguang City
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blast
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10 dead
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Township and village mine with permit
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07-04
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Jilin
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Fuqiang Coal Mine, Baishan city
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blast
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39 dead
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Privately run with no permit
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07-03
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Shaanxi
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Xigou Coal Mine, Weinan city
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Water leakage and flood
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15 dead
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Township and village mine with permit; 15 trapped, presumably dead
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06-28
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Chongqing
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Shuijiang Coal Mine, Nanchuan County
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blast
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10 dead, 3 injured
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Shareholding company
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06-24
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Hebei
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Yongfa Coal Mine, Zhangjiakou city
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Rain storm and flood
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16 dead
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Township and village mine; check not passed; to be closed
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06-20
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Heilongjiang
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Chengzihe Coal Mine, Jixi city
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blast
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124 dead
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State-owned
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05-30
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Liaoning
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Guanshan Coal Mine, Beipiao Mining Company
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blast
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14 dead
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State-owned
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05-26
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Hunan
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Qingshu Coal Mine, Loudi city
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Gas build-up
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15 dead
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Township and village mine with permit
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05-23
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Heilongjiang
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Jiacheng Coal Mine, Shuangya city
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fire
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17 dead, 4 survivors
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Privately run, check not passed yet
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05-15
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Hunan
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Xinyuan Coal Mine, Loudi City
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Gas build-up
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18 dead
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Township and village mine; city and county check passed; provincial check not passed yet
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05-15
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Hunan
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Hongqi Coal Mine, Shaoyang City
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Water leakage and flood
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12 dead
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Township and village mine with permit
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05-04
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Shanxi
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Fuyuan Coal Mine, Hejin city
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Water leakage and flood, followed by fire
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21 dead, 2 survivors
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Township and village mine without permit; cover-up attempts by mine boss
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05-04
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Guizhou
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Shaft in Liying Village, Bijie District
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blast
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23 dead
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Privately run without permit
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05-04
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Hunan
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Saihai No.2 Mine, Loudi City
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Gas build-up
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13 dead
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Township and village mine with permit
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04-25
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Hebei
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Linxi Coal Mine, Kailuan Mining Bureau, Kailuan City
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roof collapse
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11 dead
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State-owned
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04-24
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Sichuan
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Huashan Coal Mine, Panzhihua Mining (Group) Co. Ltd., Panzhihua City
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blast
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23 dead
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State-owned
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04-22
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Chongqing
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South Mine, Zhongliangshan Coal Field and Gas Company
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Gas build-up
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15 dead
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State-owned
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04-19
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Shanxi
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Hanjiagou Village 7.1 Coal Mine, Changzhi City
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blast
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12 dead, 12 survivors
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Township and village mine with permit
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04-08
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Heijongjiang
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Donghai Coal Mine, Jixi Mining Bureau
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blast
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24 dead, 14 seriously injured, 23 injured
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State-owned
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03-29
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Henan
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Xinfeng Mining Bureau No.2 Mine, Xuchang City
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blast
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23 dead, 3 injured
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State-owned
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02-28
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Liaoning
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Sanduhao Coal Mine, Fuxin City
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fire
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22 dead
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Township and village mine with permit; 3 dead, 19 missing, presumably dead
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02-11
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Inner Mongolia
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Hongqi Coal Mine, Hulunbeierkeshi City
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Fire and carbon monoxide poisoning
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14 dead
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Township and village mine; check passed
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01-31
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Chongqing
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Nantong Mine, Nantong Mining Bureau
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Gas build-up
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20 dead, 2 injured
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State-owned; 4 dead, 16 missing, presumably dead
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01-28
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Hunan
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Shantangchong Coal Mine, Hengyang City
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blast
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14 dead, 6 injured, 2 survivors
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Township and village mine; 3 dead, 11 missing, presumably dead
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01-26
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Hebei
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Nuanerhe Coal Mine, Chengde City
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blast
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28 dead, 12 injured
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State-owned; 19 killed in the first blast; 8 killed in the second blast the next day, and 1 missing, presumably dead
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01-21
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Hubei
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Tanjiadong Coal Mine, Jingzhou City
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fire
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12 dead
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Township and village mine; check passed
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01-14
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Yunnan
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Shuijie Village, Wenshan Zhou
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Gas build-up
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25 dead (7 women)
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Privately run with no permit
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Sources: China Labour Bulletin, State Administration of Coal Mine Safety Supervision (SACMSS at http://www.chinacoal-safety.gov.cn) and State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS at http://www.chinasafety.gov.cn).
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