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Human Factor Is the Top Killer in Coal Mine Accidents

China Economic Weekly, a magazine under People’s Daily interviewed Chen Hong, a professor at China’s University of Mining and Technology. In the interview, Chen said, "In fact, of all the direct causes of coal mine accidents, human factors account for up to 97.67%. That figure is from an analysis of 1,203 accidents between 1980 and 2000 that involved human death." Chen added, “A study of a large number of coal mine accidents that took place between 2001 and 2010 confirmed the above conclusion. The workers’ illegal operations, management giving directions against regulations, and other unsafe behavior in the coal mines are still the main causes for China’s coal mine accidents." 

Chen also stated, “Despite the declining trend of China’s annual death rate from coal mine accidents, the latest statistics show that the number accounts for 70% of the world’s coal mine death toll." Chen added that in 2010, 79,552 people died in various work related accidents, at a rate 218 every day. 
Source: China Economic Weekly, June 27.
2011.http://www.ceweekly.cn/html/Article/20110627672147140970.html