China's top work safety watchdog promised on Tuesday more efforts in the second half of the year to crack down on illegal production and operation in a bid to improve safety at workplaces.

Huang Yi, spokesman of the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS), said 53 severe worksite accidents occurred in China in the first seven months of this year and more than half of them were related to illegal production and operation.

In an online interview with www.gov.cn, Huang said the country plans to finish the installation of an emergency risk avoidance system at all its coalmines by 2013 to cut potential casualties.

During the interview, Huang also stressed the enforcement of a rule that requires managing staff to accompany workers underground during mining operations.

According to a circular on work safety laid out by the State Council on July 23, all mines are asked to ensure at least one manager work alongside their employees for the entire duration of every shift, to act as a shift leader or foreman.

Huang said any manager who fails to undertake the underground shift would be considered to be "absent without leave", and would be held legally responsible in case of a mishap.