Chinese premier underlines work safety

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has ordered intensified efforts to improve work safety following a deadly explosion last month in Shandong Province that left 62 dead.

Li made the comments in a written instruction as a work safety committee of the State Council, China's Cabinet, held a plenary session on Friday in Beijing.

"Production safety is a life-and-death matter and a red line that must not be crossed," Li said.

He urged a careful review of a nationwide work safety overhaul from June to September of this year to learn lessons from deadly accidents.

The country should put emphasis on accident prevention, regularly conduct safety inspections, and move to establish a permanent mechanism for ensuring work safety, Li said.

He also urged local authorities to prioritize production safety this winter and during the coming spring.

On Nov. 22, an explosion on a section of Sinopec's underground pipeline in the eastern city of Qingdao in Shandong killed 62 and injured 136.

The plenary meeting of the work safety committee made arrangements for reviews of the previous nationwide overhaul and checks of oil and gas pipelines around the country, according to a statement released after the meeting.

The country will launch a special inspection on pipelines for oil, gas and dangerous chemicals to find and eliminate hidden dangers, the statement said.

The session also made plans for ensuring work safety during this winter and next spring. China will further intensify coal mine and transportation safety, prioritize safety of crowded areas and continue to crack down on violations concerning mines, dangerous chemicals, explosives and firecrackers, the statement said.