Chineseofficialsyesterdayurgedemployerstotakemoremeasurestoprotectworkersagainstworkplacediseasesandinjuries.
Expertsestimate(估计)thatabout200millionworkersfaceapotentialdangerofoccupationaldiseasesandwork-relatedinjuries.
Themajorityofthemarefarmers-turned-workerswhoareworkinginsmallormedium-sizedfirms.
OneofthemostseriousworkplacediseasesontheChinesemainlandispneumoconiosisalungdiseasethatiscausedbybreathingintoomuchdustofcoalsiliconandcerement.Itcausesseriousbreathingdifficultiesandcanbefatal(致命的).
Thediseasekilled966peopleinthecountrylastyearaccordingtoanofficialreportreleasedbytheMinistryofHealthyesterday.
Fromtheearly1950suntiltheendoflastyear607570peoplewerediagnosedwithpneumoconiosis.
Amongthenumber137481peoplediedfromthedisease.
ChenXiaohongviceministerofhealthsaidthegenerallevelofpreventionandcontrolofworkplacediseasesisstillquitelowinChina.
“Healthauthorities(官员)atvariouslevelswilldomoreeducationworkinthefuturetoraiseemployers`awarenessthattheyarethefirstpersonresponsibleforanyworkplacediseasesoraccidents”Chensaid.
HemadetheremarkataceremonyheldbyhisministryandotherrelevantdepartmentsundertheStateCounciltoawardprizesto56companieswhichhavedonewellinprotectingworkers`health.
OntheChinesemainlandmorethan16millioncompaniesareengagedinpotentiallydangeroussectorssuchascoalminingconstructionandthosethatusechemicalsaccordingtotheMinistryofHealth.
Althoughmanycompaniesespeciallylargeforeign-investedandState-ownedoneshavedonewellinprotectingworkers`healthmanyemployeesarestillworkingindangerousplaceswithpoorprotectionandwithoutanyinsurancesupport.
Atleast90percentofChinesecompaniesaresmallormedium-sizedorganizations.
Manyofthesecompaniesespeciallyprivateonesbasedintownsandvillagesdonotwanttospendtheirmoneystrengtheningworkplaceprotectionagainstvariousdiseasesandinjuriesorbuyinginsurance(保险)policiesfortheiremployees.
Accordingtostatistics(