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Occupational hazard

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-06-24 07:55

"To all these who have, more will be given, and they will have abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away." This saying from the Bible is what the Matthew effect refers to. This is precisely what is now happening to the more than 200 million migrant workers in China.

Ministry of Health statistics show that almost 90 percent of those suffering from occupational diseases are migrant workers. Hazardous working conditions are taking away what many of these laborers rely on for a living - their health.

In one of the most well-known cases, of the more than 60 migrant workers from a county in southwestern Yunnan province who work in quartz sand plants in eastern Anhui province, about half have developed pneumoconiosis. Twelve have already died.

Even more terrible is that none of the affected have any idea as to what ails them. All they know is that, of late, they have been finding it hard to breathe, and are bereft of the energy required to do anything. Many believe that they are suffering from a mysterious disease.

Their case is only the tip of the iceberg. The total number of factories in China with hazardous working conditions likely to cause occupational diseases is more than 16 million. Most workers in these factories are rural laborers, who are usually exposed to hazardous air, dust or other poisonous material without any protection.

There is a law on prevention of occupational diseases, which took effect in 2002. Workplaces with hazardous working conditions are required to adopt measures to protect workers from contracting occupational diseases through constant exposure to harmful materials.

It is mandatory for health departments at all levels to ensure that employers of such factories comply with requirements to safeguard workers from afflictions arising out of their work. But, investigations show that more than 60 percent of such factories have failed to do what they should for protecting employees from harmful material.

The ignorance of most rural laborers about likely harm from their working conditions has also contributed to their tragic situation.

A rural laborer losing his physical capacity to work in the prime of life can be a calamity for his family. Those who are somewhat better off are reduced by such ailments to a hand-to-mouth life; and those who are poor are driven to destitution. More rural laborers being rendered unfit to work also means a drain of labor with its predictable adverse effect on economic development. Local governments have to extend a helping hand to such families, which have become a burden to local finance.

Besides plants, local govern-ments are obviously to blame for failing in their duty to ensure safe working conditions in enterprises under their authority.

(China Daily 06/24/2009 page8)