Coal mining dangerous

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A new study by the International Labor Organizations says coal mining is becoming a more dangerous occupation.

The agency, which is an arm of The United Nations, says 11,000 people are killed working in the mines every year.

The survey documents nearly one million serious accidents and calls for new safety measures.

Australia has the best coal mining safety record, followed by the United States and Britain. Canada ranks fourth.

The document, which studied the industry from 1988 to 1993, was tabled at an International Labor Organization meeting in Geneva recently. It suggests the United nations take a stand on mine safety because profit is taking precedence over the lives of workers.