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Reflections on
Coal Mine Safety in China
Tianyu (Helen) Hei
Shandong Bureau of Coal Mine Safety and Supervision
and visiting scholar at Central Queensland University
(t.hei@cqu.edu.au)
Reflections on
Coal Mine Safety in China
My short talk focuses on safe mining.
It suggests that the safety record of our
industry is best understood in terms of the
nature of the Chinese coal resources and the
structure of the coal industry in China.
It argues that increased mechanisation
underpinned by education and training are
key strategies for improving the efficiency
and safety of the coal industry in China.
Presentation Outline
The nature of coal resources in China
The structure of the coal industry in
China
Coal mining safety
The way ahead – Shandong Province
The nature of coal resources in China
The geology of mining in China is
much more like the UK than it is
like Australia.
The Chinese coal seams are
relatively deep; there are
relatively few seams suitable for
longwall mining; and even fewer
that are suitable for open cut.
The nature of coal resources in China
China is now the second largest coal
exporter after Australia.
China’s coal exports have trebled
in the past three years.
China exported 108 Mt of coal in
2002 mainly to Northeast Asia (i.e.
Japan, South Korea and Taipei).
Structure of the Coal Industry in China
China’s coal industry is structured
across three sectors:
town and village coal mines
state owned local coal mines
state owned key coal mines
Structure of the Coal Industry in China
China Coal Production from 2001 to 2003
town and village
coalmines 6.12
4.18
2.64 2.94
state-owned
2.63
local coalmines 2.23
8.3
6.19 7.12
state-owned key
coalmines
2001 2002 2003
(source: State Bureau of Coal Mine Safety and Supervision 2003 )
Structure of the Coal Industry in China
There is an ongoing trend of closure of
small collieries.
In 1997 there were 82,000 collieries in
China.
By the end of 2000 this was reduced to
35,000 as a result of the closure of 47,000
small collieries resulting in a loss of 350
million tons of production.
Structure of the Coal Industry in China
Output from the top ten super collieries (all with output
above 20Mt) is increasing:
Comparison of output from the ten top mines for 2002 and 2003
7.38
Unit: 10Mt
5.17
5.01 2003 2002
4.56
4.01 4.07
2.83 2.81
2.37 2.46 2.672.37 2.65 2.55
2.32 2.27
1.98 1.87 2.02 1.99
Shendong Dat ong Yankuang Huainan Xishan Pingdingshan Pingshuo Kailuan Yangquan Huaibei
(source: State Bureau of Coal Mine Safety and Supervision 2003 )
Structure of the Coal Industry in China
Since about 1998 the management of coal mining
in China has been decentralised to provincial
government. However, the industry remains
very much a government enterprise.
The lack of independent safety inspections led, in
2000, to the establishment of the State Bureau of
Work Safety and Supervision (SBWS).
The SBWS HQ is in Beijing. It has a staff of 160
and operates under the authority of the State
Economic and Trade Commission (SETC).
Structure of the Coal Industry in China
At a national level the SBWS is
responsible for the development of policy
and legislation on work and safety –
including inspections.
Enforcement of mine safety law is carried
out at the provincial and municipal level
by the local Bureau of Coal Mine Safety
and Supervision. These Bureaus report to
provincial government but take policy and
guidance from the SBWS.
Coal mining safety
Safety is a continuing problem in the Chinese coal industry
Death in China’s Coal Industry from 2001 to 2003
69956732
6434
4661 4707
2003 2002 2001 4168
892 904 981 1023 1044
881
all coal m ines s tate-owened key s tate-owned local town and village
m ines m ines coal m ines
（Source: State Bureau of Coal Mine Safety and Supervision 2003）
Coal mining safety
Safety outcomes are best in the
more highly automated key coal
mines and worst in the small town
and village coal mines.
Coal mining safety
The Mortality Rate in Coal Mining Accidents in China Between 1970-1999
(Deaths per Mt)
18 State-owned
16 key coal
14 mines
12
10 State-owned
8 local coal
6 mines
4
2 Town and
0 village coal
mines
1970 1980 1990 1992 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
(Source: the State Bureau of Coal Industry 1999)
Coal mining safety
Fatality rates are higher in China’s mechanised
mines (i.e. state owned key mines) than they are
in Australian mines.
Australian mines have about 50 times less
fatalities.
Coal mining safety
Summary:
Coal will continue as a key resource in China for many years to
come.
The industry is changing with greater concentration on the best
coal seams that facilitate mechanisation through longwall and
open cut mining.
Nonetheless coal mining of poorer quality seams will continue and
in this sector in particular manual operation will have dominance.
At present, China has around 28,000 coal mines of which 25,000
are small scale mines — town and village coal mines. These
mines have poor working conditions, they are small and backward
- 80% of accidents occur within those small mines.
The way ahead - Shandong
Shandong
Shandong Province is located in the east of China; it is lie
in between Beijing and Shanghai. Shandong province is the
birth place of Confucius.
Shandong is undergoing rapid economic development and
is looking forward to a bright future.
Shandong is a large province in China. It ranks second in
coal production, currently 0.1 billion tonnes per annum and
the proven reserves are 27.8 billion tonnes.
The way ahead - Shandong
Shandong has the best coal industry safety
record in China. The Shandong Bureau of Coal
Mine Safety and Supervision most recently
reported that from Jan to Sep 2004:
• the coal output in Shandong was 104.61 Mt
• the fatality rate was 0.42 people/Mt – a decrease of 0.36
people/Mt from the same period last year (and far
smaller than the national rate of 3.71 people/Mt in
2003).
Shandong is ranked No. 2 in the country in terms
of coal output, and No.1 in terms of production
safety.
The way ahead - Shandong
We believe that this in large part reflects a focus
on safety training.
Education and training are key drivers that
underpin a safety culture.
In China training for the coal mining industry is
delivered through four types of institution:
Level A and Level B Institutions:
training of coal mine managers and safety
controllers
Level C Institutions:
training of special occupational workers in special
technical skills
Level D Institutions:
On-site worker training at mine sites
The way ahead - Shandong
Training parallels the Chinese Qualification
framework. The coal mining industry is
seeking to introduce minimum education
and training standards for employment in
the coal industry - e.g.
Mine manager and safety controllers –
minimum 2 year diploma
All other employees – at least secondary
school graduation.
The way ahead - Shandong
Shandong province is leading the way
towards an efficient and safe Chinese coal
mining industry.
It is supported by the Shandong Bureau of
Coal Mine Safety and Supervision and the
Shandong University of Science and
Technology. The Bureau and the
University both welcome international
collaboration in education, training and
research.
References
China Mining Association and Ministry of Land and Resource 2000;
State Bureau of Coal Mine Safety and Supervision 2000;
Chinese State Council 2002, the work Safety Law, Beijing
Chinese State Bureau of Coal Industry 1999, production statistics.
Shandong Coal Mine Safety and Supervision 2002, Report of
annual coal mining safety and supervision in Shandong province,
by General Director Gong Maoquan
Jing, J 1995, ‘Comparison between the world’s main coal
producers with coal resources and support policies’, Journal of Coal
Economy Research, vol.6, P.7-8
State Bureau of Coal Mine Safety and Supervision 2003, National
Coal production and safety, URL:
http://www.chinacoal-safety.gov.cn/meikuangjiancha (accessed
16 August 2004)
State Bureau of Coal Mine Safety and Supervision 2002, Standards
of coal mining safety training (安监 管人字〔２００２〕 37号),
Standards China, Beijing.
Thank you for your attention
