Xu Yibo, vice director of the Shanghai Planning Commission, which is responsible for workplace safety, said 52 workers died in 51 workplace accidents in the first three months of this year. In the same period last year, 49 workers died in 38 accidents.

“Such deaths in overseas-funded enterprises rose greatly,” Xu said. In the first quarter of last year, only three workers died in workplace accidents at such companies. This year, 11 did.

Among Chinese firms, state-owned enterprises recorded 19 deaths in the first quarter, compared with 14 in the same period last year. Among private Chinese companies, there were nine deaths, five less than the same period last year.

Xu said an accident on March 20 pointed to the need for better knowledge of workplace safety, especially by managers. The result: One worker died and two managed to survive after being poisoned when they were assigned to clean an underground sewage pipe in Minhang District.

The workers unwittingly inhaled hydrogen sulfide, the colorless gas that smells like rotten eggs. Supervisors were required by state law to check air quality in the sewage pipe before work began, Xu said.

(eastday.com 04/20/2001)