Over 27,000 deaths from occupational accidents in H1 2014 in China

China's work safety administration has briefed the media on the occupational accidents in the first half of this year.

More than 150-thousand accidents were reported, a 3.7 percent drop compared with the same period last year. There were also more than 27-thousand deaths, a nearly 13 percent drop. 19 cases are recognized as serious accidents--the combined death toll was 267.

The administration says the average investigation period for a serious accident has been shortened to around 70 days.

Although the State Administration of Work Safety has reported a significant drop in the number of cases and deaths related to occupational accidents, there is still rising concern about work safety, especially at oil plants and pipelines.

The most recent incident was on June 30th, when a construction company accidentally drilled through a PetroChina oil pipeline in Northeast China's Dalian city. A massive fire broke out and some 20-thousand residents had to be evacuated. The accident raised questions on why the pipeline was constructed so close to residential areas.

It was also PetroChina's seventh fire or explosion within the past four years. The most deadly recent pipeline accident happened in east China's Qingdao city last November. A powerful blast caused by a Sinopec pipeline leak killed 62 people, and injured more than 160.