From the Readers

Enhance safety procedures

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-04-20 07:52

Saving more than two- thirds of the trapped miners after so many days was a miracle. The prayers of people around the world were heard and helped those who were trapped to survive. The fact that 30 or more will not come back does not diminish the miracle and the efforts of all who helped.

The article is correct in saying that coal mining remains a very dangerous activity. I agree that safety procedures must be copied from North America or Europe. Then the issue will be the same for all countries: procedures must be enforced, safety violations must not be tolerated, and safety officers must have the right to stop work and be independent from construction management, reporting to another provincial body.

In China, some miners had warned of incoming water days before the accident. Had they told a safety officer who did not answer to the construction manager, a tragedy might have been averted.

My Village, on China Daily website

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(China Daily 04/20/2010 page9)