(Sxcoal, Dec 29, 2006) Beijing has ordered the nation's deadliest industries, from oil drilling to mining and road transport to construction, to pay fees to improve safety.
 
Mining accidents killed more than 8,000 people last year while road accidents killed nearly 100,000, according to government figures.
 
China's coal mines are the deadliest in the world.
 
"Safety is important for people and assets as well as for social stability and development," the State Administration of Work Safety said on its Web site (www.chinasafety.gov.cn) Friday.
 
The new policy comes into force January 1.
 
Oil and natural gas drilling companies will have to pay 17 yuan (HK$16.89) per tonne of oil and 5 yuan per cubic meter of natural gas.
 
Metal mining companies would have to pay between 4 and 8 yuan for each tonne of ore production while non- metal miners would have to pay 1 to 2 yuan.
 
The money would be used for renovation, improvement of safety facilities and training of workers.
 
China is already charging safety fees on coal miners, at an average of 15 yuan per tonne this year, double last year's rate.
 
The government reaped more than 22 billion yuan from state-run mining companies alone in 2006, said a report on its Web site (www.gov.cn).

Source:Sxcoal