China's work safety situation is stable so far this year as safety accidents and casualties both saw year-on-year reductions, the State Council Work Safety Committee said Thursday.

During the first 11 months, the country recorded a total of 334,232 accidents with 71,283 deaths, down year on year by 10.7 percent and 12.2 percent, respectively, the committee said.

A total of 63 "extremely serious" accidents were reported with 1,080 deaths, also down by 29.2 percent and 41.6 percent, respectively, it said.

The committee said work safety situation in most parts of China was stable as almost two thirds of the country saw decline of "extremely serious" accidents during the same period.

But it warned the country's work safety situation was still facing severe challenges as November had seen bursting fatal accidents.

A total of 16 coal mine gas blasts had occurred in November alone, killing 172 people, which was up 437.5 percent compared to a year earlier.

A single coal mine gas explosion on November 21 in the northeastern Heilongjiang province killed 108 people.

(Xinhua News Agency December 18, 2009)