Comparative Study on Coal Mine Safety between China and the US from a Safety Sociology Perspective

China and the US are of the two largest coal producer and consumer, but China lags far behind the US in regards of coal mine safety. After viewing the comprehensive attribute of safety science, by adopting historical and international comparison method, and following the aspects of coal mine safety, the two countries are compared in detail including safety production, safety investment and input, safety training and dissemination and safety regulation and legislation from a safety sociology perspective. Finally, by summarizing the features of totalistic and regulatory state, the necessity of the establishment of regulatory government was expounded for coal mine safety in China. By learning the advanced experiences from the US, the present status of coal mine safety in China was recognized, so as to provide references for the development of coal mine safety of China in future. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of China Academy of Safety Science and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology(Beijing), McGill University and University of Wollongong.