An independent accident investigation mechanism is crucial for ensuring impartial conclusions, according to an article in Beijing News. An excerpt follows:

The team investigating the bridge collapse in Northeast China's Liaoning Province concluded it may have been "an accident without casualties."

However, that conclusion failed to convince local residents.

They said the Tianzhuangtai Bridge, which collapsed last Thursday, has been listed as a dangerous construction by local government since 1999, but overloaded trucks were still allowed to use the bridge as long as they paid fees or fines.

This situation raises the question of how to guarantee an impartial and objective investigation in such cases.

Such factors as how the investigation team is selected and who it include certainly impact on the outcome.

In the past, when a major industrial accident occurred, the investigation team would draw from the government department directly responsible for the industry.

It is sometimes difficult to believe such a team could yield an impartial report because of the intertwined relationship between the relevant business entity and their government supervisor.

A string of exposed cover-ups of mining accidents has driven home that point.

In order to ensure impartial investigations, an independent probe mechanism must be established and put in place.

First, members of the investigation team should be from varied backgrounds. They should not only include people from relevant government departments and safety administration but also individuals involved in the accident and experts in the related field.

Second, an independent investigation task force should be given a certain degree of privileged power, freeing itself from government or official meddling.

In addition, the People's Congress at all levels should step in to supervise the effort, and the investigation team should be made responsible for the congress.

(China Daily 06/22/2004 page6)