Wang Xianzheng, of the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS), reported Tuesday that in the January – April period, 287,884 accidents of various types occurred, with 38,189 people killed nationwide.

Although total accidents were 4.1 percent lower than the same period last year, the death toll climbed 2.4 percent.

He attributed the situation to the country's continuous safety inspections, specialized rectifications and the creation of legislation on workplace safety.

Major accidents and deaths were reported from road traffic accidents, coalmines or other industrial incidents, trade and commercial enterprise accidents, fires, and waterway and railway traffic incidents.

Road traffic accidents remain the top killer, with 30,733 fatalities in 167,463 reported cases. These accidents accounted for 80.5 percent of the deaths and 58.2 percent of the country's total accidents over the past four months.

Coal-related deaths dropped 25 percent during the January - April period with 1,267 deaths reported in 854 reported cases. The total output of coal was up 19 percent up over the same period the previous year.

The number of extremely serious accidents--each with a death toll of more than 30--dropped.

However, as domestic demand for chemical products soars, more serious accidents in that sector have taken place in recent weeks owing to outdated technology, aging facilities and poor management.

Nine people were killed in a chemical factory explosion in southwest China's Chongqing municipality on April 16.

Three workers died of poisoning in Maoming, Guangdong Province, on April 19 after chemicals leaked at a local refinery.

"Such accidents resulted in 23 deaths and the poisoning of 300 others. More than 150,000 people had to be evacuated during emergency operations from April 16 to 24, shocking all of society," Wang said.

Vice Premier Huang Ju urged all authorities to intensify supervision over dangerous chemical products to end the escalating trend.

"Comprehensive measures must be adopted to stop accidents of this sort," Huang told a special conference on work safety held Tuesday in Beijing.

Huang made it clear that "those held responsible for serious calamities will be brought to justice in accordance with the law."

Huang said that a nationwide campaign should be carried out immediately to check the safety of facilities and enterprises that process, store, transport, use and treat dangerous chemical products.

The vice-premier admonished authorities to improve monitoring of factors that could aggravate the seriousness of accidents by developing contingency schemes and emergency rescue operations, and ensuring that professional, quick-response rescue teams are well prepared.

To further increase awareness of work safety, he ordered authorities to intensify professional training and launch campaigns to publicize safety information.