1 Jun 2025
Report: Use It First, Accident Later: Neglect, Compromises in OHS Standards, and Worker Fatigue behind the High Occupational Accident Rate in the Morowali Nickel Industry
အကျဉ်းချုပ်
Date Reported: 1 Jun 2025
Location: Indonesia
Companies
PT Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) - Operation , Tsingshan Group - Parent Company , PT Sulawesi Mining Investment - Joint venture participant , Bintang Delapan - Joint venture participantProjects
Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) - OperationAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Workers: ( Number unknown - Indonesia , Metals & steel , Gender not reported ) , Workers: ( Number unknown - Indonesia , Metals & steel , Women )Issues
Labour Rights , Occupational Health & Safety , Deaths , Injuries , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Mandatory overtime , Sexual harassmentResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRC
Source type: NGO
အကျဉ်းချုပ်
Date Reported: 1 Jun 2025
Location: Indonesia
Companies
Dexin Steel Indonesia (JV between Delong Steel Co, Shanghai Decent Investment and PT IMIP) - EmployerProjects
PT Dexin Steel Indonesia Nickel Plant - OperationAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Workers: ( Number unknown - Indonesia , Metals & steel , Gender not reported ) , Women: ( Number unknown - Indonesia , Metals & steel , Gender not reported )Issues
Labour Rights , Occupational Health & Safety , Deaths , Injuries , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Sexual harassmentResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRC
Source type: NGO
အကျဉ်းချုပ်
Date Reported: 1 Jun 2025
Location: Indonesia
Companies
Indonesia Ruipu Nickel and Chrome Alloy - Employer , Tsingshan Group - Parent CompanyProjects
PT Indonesia Ruipu Nickel and Chrome Alloy Smelter in Morowali, Indonesia - OperationAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Workers: ( Number unknown - Indonesia , Metals & steel , Gender not reported ) , Women: ( Number unknown - Indonesia - Sector unknown , Gender not reported )Issues
Labour Rights , Occupational Health & Safety , Deaths , Injuries , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Mandatory overtime , Sexual harassmentResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRC
Source type: NGO
အကျဉ်းချုပ်
Date Reported: 1 Jun 2025
Location: Indonesia
Companies
PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (ITSS) - EmployerProjects
PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (ITSS) Nickel Smelter - OperationAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Workers: ( Number unknown - Indonesia , Metals & steel , Gender not reported ) , Women: ( Number unknown - Indonesia - Sector unknown , Gender not reported )Issues
Labour Rights , Occupational Health & Safety , Deaths , Injuries , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Mandatory overtime , Sexual harassmentResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRC
Source type: NGO
အကျဉ်းချုပ်
Date Reported: 1 Jun 2025
Location: Indonesia
Companies
PT Qing Feng Ferrochrome - Employer , Tsingshan Group - Parent CompanyProjects
PT Qing Feng Ferrochrome smelter in Morowali, Indonesia - OperationAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Workers: ( Number unknown - Indonesia , Metals & steel , Gender not reported ) , Women: ( Number unknown - Indonesia - Sector unknown , Gender not reported )Issues
Labour Rights , Occupational Health & Safety , Deaths , Injuries , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Mandatory overtime , Sexual harassmentResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRC
Source type: NGO
အကျဉ်းချုပ်
Date Reported: 1 Jun 2025
Location: Indonesia
Companies
PT Sulawesi Mining Investment - EmployerProjects
PT Sulawesi Mining Investment nickel smelter in Morowali, Indonesia - OperationAffected
Total individuals affected: 2
Workers: ( 2 - Indonesia , Metals & steel , Gender not reported )Issues
Injuries , Occupational Health & Safety , Labour RightsResponse
Response sought: Yes, by BHRC
Source type: NGO
Foreword
[...]
This study seeks to uncover the underlying causes of the high rate of workplace accidents in the IMIP industrial area, which has drawn ongoing criticism from media outlets and NGOs due to poor and unsafe working conditions. To gain a comprehensive understanding, a survey was conducted involving 348 workers from the IMIP area during May–June 2024, providing a general picture of the safety conditions experienced by employees.
[...]
From the three data collection methods, we identified several recurring patterns contributing to the high rate of workplace accidents in the IMIP area.Four main factors were found: (1) human error, including worker negligence, (2) hazardous work environments, (3) inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE), and (4) equipment malfunctions.
[...] Beyond these four primary factors, our research also identified other contributing risks, including worker fatigue resulting from excessively long working hours and the hidden threat of occupational diseases. Moreover, female workers face gender-specific challenges due to the male-dominated workforce in the IMIP area, highlighting the need for more inclusive and responsive workplace policies.
[...] Our findings point to three key factors that perpetuate this cycle of exploitation: (1) economic pressure and imbalanced power relations, (2) horizontal tensions and weak social dialogue, and (3) low union density, which has led to the fragmentation of labor unions within the IMIP area. These factors highlight the urgent need for a stronger strategic alliance among unions and collective action to reinforce the area’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), ensuring it is upheld as a set of binding “Golden Rules” for all tenant companies.