More than 200 mln Chinese are suffering from occupational diseases, and 16 mln enterprises are toxic. The harm of occupational disease is moving from urban industrial zones to rural areas, from eastern China to central and western parts and from large and medium sized enterprises to SME's according to sources from an international conference on occupational respiratory diseases in Beijing.

China has reported 580,000 occupational pneumoconiosis cases since the 1950s and there are 440,000 suffering from pneumoconiosis at present. Experts said the actual figures might be ten times higher than the documented figure due to the unavailability of physical exams for workers. The actual number of pneumoconiosis cases may have exceeded 1 mln.

To control occupational diseases from the source, the Ministry of Health, the State Administration of Work Safety and the All China Federation of Trade Unions have decided to issue certificates of appraisal for "National Exemplary Enterprise in Occupational Health".

These certificates will be valid for three years. Enterprises that have been given such title are requested to report their work conditions annually. The title will be revoked should grave accidents happen or acts that seriously breach regulations regarding occupational health take place.

By People's Daily Online