Coalmine blasts and floods are undoubtedly the major killer of
miners. But as well as these tragedies, there is another hazard
down the mines that is killing far more migrant workers black lung
disease.
Experts warn that it may become a serious social hazard in some
rural areas around 2010 unless earnest action is taken to protect
migrant workers, miners in particular, from inhaling enough dust in
their workplace to destroy their lungs.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health suggest that more than
600,000 cases of pneumoconiosis had been reported from the 1950s to
the end of 2005. Of them, more than 137,000 have died. Some experts
estimate that the actual number could be more than 1 million.
A survey conducted by reporters from Workers' Daily this year
indicated that black lung disease had the highest incidence among
migrant workers, and township or private enterprises are primarily
where workers are most likely to contract the disease.
As in coal-mine accidents, migrant workers are again the largest
group under threat.
Under heavy pressure to provide for their families, many have to
do whatever job they can get without considering the working
conditions.
To keep production costs as low as possible, employers do not
take any measures or install the necessary facilities to reduce
floating dust in the workplace, with the mentality that workers
will not care how bad working conditions are as long as they are
able to make money.
The Industrial Disease Prevention Law that took effect in 2001
stipulates that employers must take pre-emptive measures to reduce
dust if the dust caused by production is thick enough to affect
workers' health.
The fact that more and more migrant workers are contracting
black lung disease suggests that many employers turn a blind eye to
this law, and so do the relevant government departments, which have
the responsibility to oversee employers.
If a disease such as black lung destroys the health of a young
migrant worker, the family's loss of a breadwinner could throw them
into dire poverty, leaving elderly parents and children
unsupported.
The larger this group of patients becomes, the heavier the
pressure will be on governments at various levels to take care of
unassisted families.
Even from this perspective, employers must be forced to take
pre-emptive measures to prevent their employees from contracting
black lung, or be made responsible for the consequences.
(China Daily December 21, 2006)