According to news agency Xinhua, China’s State Administration of Work Safety released figures placing the 2008 work-related death toll at 91,172, a substantial improvement of just over 10% from the previous year.

The Chinese government has tackled safety issues in its diverse coal sector during the past year, with the Associated Press reporting a 15% reduction in deaths from the industry – with 2008 claiming 3200 lives compared to 3770 in 2007.

The AP reported that some 80% of China’s 16,000 mines are small-scale illegal operations, with the national government shutting down 1054 small coal mines in 2008.

Back in 2006, around 4500 people lost their lives in China from floods, mine fires and other disasters that hit the industry.