The bosses of mainland coal mines will have to enter the pits with their workers every day under new regulations announced by the State Council in a bid to clean up the industry.
The regulations also say that all miners will need to pass safety tests before being allowed to work underground.
At least six people died in an explosion at a closed-down mine in Henan province yesterday morning, a day after a State Council working conference at which Premier Wen Jiabao ordered mine bosses to work side by side with miners.
The explosion injured 34 other people.
Xinhua reported the blast took place in Pingdingshan at 5am. Three of those killed were maintenance staff and security guards. The identities of the other three were unknown.
It said 15 of the 34 injured people were nearby residents and the rest were maintenance and security staff.
It was the second deadly mine accident in the city in less than a month. A mine explosion on June 21 killed at least 49 people. That led to Pingdingshan's mayor being suspended from duty last week.
