A coal mine accident which resulted in the deaths of six people
and trapped three in central China's Hunan Province last week has troubled
watchdogs responsible for work safety and women's protection in the
workplace.
Unlike many workplace accidents, four female employees were
discovered among the victims of the gas explosion at Dongtang Coal
Mine, Maoyi Township in Hunan's Lengshuijiang, reported Xinhua.
Five miners, including a further two females, succeeded in
escaping.
The missing miners are thought unlikely to survive the incident
as the ventilation system was destroyed and tunnels blocked while
gas accumulated, rescuers said on Sunday.
China's laws on labor and mine safety forbids women from working
in shafts, said officials responsible for work safety.
"According to the rules on the protection of female employees
the employment of women in pits is banned along with other
physically-intensive labor," said an official, surnamed Wang, with
the All-China Women's Federation yesterday.
Wang told reporters that her federation, along with other labor
protection bodies, were trying to lobby the legislative
authorities, to amend the current laws and regulations to better
protect the interests of women workers.
Before the accident the mine was forced to suspend production
after failing to apply for a work safety certificate earlier this
year.
(China Daily April 11, 2006)