By Xinhua
Beijing : The nation’s top work safety agency will “actively promote” the use of tracking and locating systems for miners working underground in response to rising concerns about safety, China Daily reported Tuesday.
The introduction of real-time supervision systems for underground mining operations is in line with the objectives laid out in the 11th Five-Year-Plan (2006-10), Peng Yujing, an official with the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS), told a forum in Beijing Sunday.
When accidents occur, the systems would be able to identify the exact location of trapped miners, help rescue teams analyse the underground environment and save precious time needed to ensure lives are saved, Peng said.
Recent work safety campaigns have led to a reduction in the number of coal mine deaths. Last year’s total of 3,786 was down 20 percent on 2006.
A miner management and locating system manufactured by the US conglomerate Honeywell and developed by a multinational firm was introduced at the forum as the first of its kind to meet the work safety standards for mining products.
“We believe with such efforts by Honeywell and other companies, the national condition of mine safety, which has already seen great progress, will get even better,” Peng said.