So you think that occupational health and safety laws don’t matter? Consider the example of the coal mining industry, one of history’s deadliest. The past two weeks have provided a dramatic illustration of the importance of a solid regulatory regime on the lives of the men and women who ply their trade in underground coal mines.

China’s Most Recent Tragedy

At least 74 miners died in explosions in the Tunlan coal mine in the Shanxi province of China a week ago Sunday. 114 more miners were hospitalized, six in critical condition. But it could have been much worse. Many of the 436 people who were underground just before the blasts took place had been ordered to evacuate when mining officials discovered that the ventilation system had broken down.

Still, the Tunlan disaster is the latest in a string of deadly mine accidents in China. After years of neglect, blistering criticism from the world’s press has pressured Chinese officials to do something about the appalling safety conditions in the country’s mines. Last year, about 1,000 small mines were forced to close due to lack of safety and deaths actually declined by about 3,200. But the Tunlan accident, the worst in China in over a year, represents a setback and a vivid reminder that China has a long way to go to make its mines safe.

U.S. Mining Deaths Hit All-Time Low

The mining safety picture is looking a lot better on this side of the globe. The U.S. Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) reported that mining fatalities in 2008 fell to 51, a 31% drop from the year before and an all-time low. 28 victims were killed in surface mining operations and 23 in underground accidents. Fatalities were down in both metals/nonmetals and coal mines. The leading cause of fatalities: accidents involving powered haulage (15—10 in coal mines and 5 in metals/nonmetals mines).

Source: To see the MSHA report, http://www.msha.gov/stats/charts/chartshome.htm

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