TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Mining Industry Labor Union (SBIPE) in the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) is urging all companies operating in the nickel smelting area to be identified following a series of accidents.

Henry Foord Jebss, Chair of SBIPE IMIP, stressed that factory explosions which often occur should not be addressed lightly.

“We must identify areas prone to explosions or accidents,” Henry told Tempo on Wednesday night, October 30. He emphasized the need for comprehensive safety assessments to implement preventive measures.

Additionally, Henry assessed that companies should provide adequate training and education to workers to minimize human error. “We demand that the SOP (standard operating procedure) be clearly defined,” he added.

Jordi Goral, Chair of the Daily Industrial Workers Union Morowali-Confederation of Indonesian Labor Unions (SPIM-KPBI), echoed these concerns, calling for improvements in the Occupational Safety and Health Management System (SMK3). He also urged government intervention to address the ongoing safety issues.

“Work safety issues are always our concern. We have even staged mass actions. But they (companies) remain ignorant and negligent,” said Jordi via a text message on Thursday, October 31, 2024.

As previously reported, a fatal accident at PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (PT ITSS) in December 2023 claimed the lives of 21 workers. Since then, several other accidents have occurred, including recent explosions at PT Dexin Steel Indonesia (DSI) on Friday, October 25, 2024, and PT Zhongtsing New Energy (ZTEN) on Wednesday morning, October 30, 2024.

PT IMIP has initiated investigations into the recent accidents, according to the company’s spokesperson Dedy Kurniawan. However, he has not yet provided specific details or addressed the labor unions' demands.

Editor's Choice: Explosion at IMIP Nickel Smelting Industrial Area Morowali Traumatizes Workers

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News