BEIJING - China's workplace safety record improved in the first four months of 2016, with the number of accidents and fatalities both dropping, the country's work safety watchdog said on Thursday.

The number of production accidents fell 14.4 percent year on year to 13,859. The accidents left 7,385 people dead, down 17.9 percent year on year, according to a statement on the website of the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS).

Coal mine accidents, however, rose 40 percent year on year from January to April, SAWS said.

Local governments should pay more attention to workplace protection and safety efforts, according to the statement.

Priority should be given to construction sites, the metallurgy industry, electronic equipment manufacturing and chemical product manufacturing, said the statement.