Safety in mines has improved today compared to days of bonded mine labour. But mines which employ 1 per cent of the global labour force remain hazardous

Over half the world's mining accidents occur in the Asia-Pacific

Recent mining accidents March 19, 2007: 108 killed in Kemerovo Oblast, Russia

February 19, 2006: 65 miners killed in an explosion in Pasta de Conches mine, in Coahuila, Mexico

November 2006: 23 killed in Halemba mine in Southern Poland

February 14, 2005: 210 coal miners were killed in the Sunjiawan mine disaster in Fuxin city, Liaoning province in China

January 2, 2006: 12 killed in Sago Mines, West Virginia, usa

September 6, 2006: 50 miners died in Bhatdih Colliery in Nagda sector of Dhanbad district, Jharkhand
Indian mines in bad light Open cast coalmines are said to be safer than underground mines. But miners keep dying in fields across the globe. On an average, there were around 0.3 deaths in coalmines per 1,000 employees in India, the us and Japan. The rate was much lower in Germany (0.13) or Australia (0.16)

The number of deaths per tonne of coal produced in India is 8.64 times more than the us. This, however, is 13 times better than China. But the number to deaths in Indian coal mines is 24 times higher than Australian mines and 16 times higher than that of us (to produce a million tonne of coal)

Coal mines in India are more accident prone than those with other minerals and metals. In 2004, coal mines accounted for 81 per cent of accidents, 60 per cent of deaths and 83 per cent of injuries of the total disasters. This, after accidents in coalmines have actually dropped after the nationalisation of coal sector in the 1970s. In India, underground coalmines accounted for 54 per cent of the total casualties

In India, Jharkhand has the highest fatality record: 26 per cent (in 2001). Illegal mining compounds matters in the state

In India