Miner-friendly policies win hearts
Li Chengyu (first from right in the front row), governor of Henan Province, and Shi Jichun (second from right in the front row), vice-governor of the province, inspect Yongcheng Coal and Electricity Group Co Ltd. |
In 2005, nearly three miners were reported dead for every million tons of coal mined, according to statistics posted on the Xinhuanet website.
Though the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety announced that the figure dropped to 2.04 per 1 million tons in 2006 and will continue to decline, chronic insecurity in the coal industry still troubles the country.
However, Yongcheng Coal and Electricity Group Co Ltd has given a resounding response to the nationwide calls for strengthening production safety with its strong performance in mining safety.
With advanced mining and managerial expertise, the group company has realized production safety and improved production efficiency.
The coal output of the group company has exceeded 30 million tons in a little over three years, with no miner deaths a record for Chinese coal makers.
Chen Xuefeng, president of the group company, who has years of experience in the mining industry, said attributing rising death rates to bad luck is merely passing the buck.
"Mining accidents are not unavoidable but controllable," Chen said.
"Production safety management is a science, which has its own rules. If we follow the rules, most accidents can be prevented."
The company's executives made it a priority to strengthen safety in production. They have laid down safety-oriented regulations, focusing on precautions against accident risks.
Workers' income is linked with safe production in the coal company.
Since 2004, 15 to 20 percent of workers' pay has been determined by their performance in following safety rules, which is evaluated once a month.
Meanwhile, coalmine leaders face more serious penalties in the event of any accidents, and are liable to be dismissed from office if death accidents occurred.
These policies, concerned with the rights and welfare of miners, have helped the company establish a reliable reputation for corporate responsibility.
The goodwill of the coal company, as an intangible asset, has turned out to be an appealing attraction for overseas investors and a growing number of foreign companies have shown interest in collaborating with the coal maker.
"Against the background of frequent accidents in small mining firms in China, Yongcheng Coal and Electricity Group Co Ltd is outstanding for realizing safe production," said a representative of a US-based firm.
"We are therefore convinced that it is a responsible company with potential; cooperation with it is expected."
(China Daily 03/16/2007 page19)
