China will continue to strengthen work safety this year, a circular issued by the General Office of the State Council, China's cabinet, said Saturday.

This year will be another "Year of Work Safety", said the circular.

Local authorities should take precautionary measures, fulfill their responsibilities, and beef up inspection to ensure work safety and reduce accidents, the circular released on www.gov.cn said.

The State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) earlier this week urged local work safety agencies to conduct 24-hour work shifts and to report serious work safety accidents to the SAWS within three hours of the occurrence of the accidents.

(Xinhua News Agency February 21, 2010)