A coal mine accident which resulted in the deaths of six people and trapped three in central China's Hunan Province last week has troubled watchdogs responsible for work safety and women's protection in the workplace.

Unlike many workplace accidents, four female employees were discovered among the victims of the gas explosion at Dongtang Coal Mine, Maoyi Township in Hunan's Lengshuijiang, reported Xinhua. Five miners, including a further two females, succeeded in escaping.

The missing miners are thought unlikely to survive the incident as the ventilation system was destroyed and tunnels blocked while gas accumulated, rescuers said on Sunday.

China's laws on labor and mine safety forbids women from working in shafts, said officials responsible for work safety.

"According to the rules on the protection of female employees the employment of women in pits is banned along with other physically-intensive labor," said an official, surnamed Wang, with the All-China Women's Federation yesterday.

Wang told reporters that her federation, along with other labor protection bodies, were trying to lobby the legislative authorities, to amend the current laws and regulations to better protect the interests of women workers.

Before the accident the mine was forced to suspend production after failing to apply for a work safety certificate earlier this year.

(China Daily April 11, 2006)