The nation's top work safety agency will this year "actively promote" the use of tracking and locating systems for miners working underground in response to rising concerns about safety, China Daily said Tuesday.

The introduction of real-time supervision systems for underground mining operations - the dominant form of China's coal exploitation - is in line with the objectives laid out in the 11th Five-Year-Plan (2006-10), Peng Yujing, an official with the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS), told a forum in Beijing on Sunday.

When accidents occur, the systems would be able to identify the exact location of trapped miners, help rescue teams analyze the underground environment and save precious time needed to ensure lives are saved, Peng said.

Recent work safety campaigns have led to a reduction in the number of coal mine deaths. Last year's total of 3,786 was down 20percent on 2006.

A miner management and locating system manufactured by United States conglomerate Honeywell was introduced at the forum as the first of its kind developed by a multinational firm to meet the work safety administration's latest standards for mining products. Six domestic developers have released similar products and received relevant approval.

"We believe with such efforts by Honeywell and like-minded companies, the national condition of mine safety, which has already seen great progress, will get even better," Peng said.

Editor: Yan