HONG KONG - a deadly explosion in a Chinese plant fact iPads for Apple drew attention to the safety standards industrial lax that still haunt many Chinese workers, while creating a supply chain risks in high range of the electronics sector.
The production in parts of the plant in southwestern Chengdu city have been suspended by Foxconn Technology Group, Apple manufacturing partner, after three workers died and 15 were injured in an explosion in a polishing workshop where signature of Apple products undergo a finish.
This is not the first time that Foxconn, a unit of Hon Hai Precision of Taiwan and more grand China contract manufacturer, has been hit by controversy.
A string of suicides of the worker in its factories shone harsh spotlight on what critics dubbed a militaristic culture push its workers to the edge to meet a global constant stream of orders for slick new generations of products Apple.
Since then, Foxconn - which many experts say is the only viable partner for Apple, in view of the large economies of scale arising from its chain of huge factories employing more than a million workers - raised pay, cut the hours of work and promised a better work-life balance for its employees.
But some experts say that the changes were superficial.
"The old tricks that have been using it there have simply been replicated in new factories that they are in place in Chengdu, Chongqing, and Zhengzhou," said Geoffrey Crothall, with the Group of China Labor Bulletin workers rightsreferring to the three massive plants new Foxconn built in China inland to exploit lower wages and a large number of new workers more close to home.
While Foxconn insisted on safety of workers remains a "priority", critical said the explosion at Chengdu was caused by a failure to protect workers from hazardous materials, including chemicals and dust of ultra-fine aluminum imbuing a poorly ventilated factory space.
"The safety of the workers of the factory is really alarming," said Debby Chan, project officer with SACOM, who has released a video of Foxconn workers in Chengdu with their faces, hands and clothing lying in a fine metal dust after a change of the.
"We do not know how many incidents are produced in Foxconn, because there is no transparency."
China, including sector wide export product now quickly a torrent of consumer goods, had a record of industrial safety say despite long efforts by the leaders of the Communist party obsessed about the stability of the country to improve conditions of work for the army more 150 million migrant workers.
In 2010, there are approximately 360 000 industrial incidents that led to the death of nearly 80,000 people, with tens of thousands more affected by occupational diseases.
A combination of factors, including rising material costs and wages and appreciation slowly yuan have eroded margins and fact pressure on many owners of factories to skimp on safety in the workplace embedded processing.
"Security is done very badly in Chinese factories," said Yi Yeping, a former worker for MMIC, large cargo container manufacturer most, who has leukemia which he says was caused by inhalation of toxic benzene fumes it.
"Mills believes that it will increase costs, both companies are very reluctant (to invest in any security). They just care about the company and neglect the workers, "added Yi, 29, of which the legal offer extended to sue Mmic came to nothing." The company was not guilty of any wrongdoing.
Recent signs suggest a younger, more connected generation of migrant workers may be less tolerant of low wages and poor conditions that the generation of their parents, the choice to leave plants completely and potentially exacerbating the shortages of hand work.
A rash of wildcat strikes in plants, providing large companies as Japanese manufacturer Honda last year succeeded in destabilizing the production of many multinationals, increasing the risks of vulnerabilities of the supply chain do not take into account the needs of workers.
In addition to a potential alteration of the Apple brand image, market research firm IHS iSuppli forecasts production of half a million iPads could be at risk if the closure in Chengdu continues until the end of June, although the impact could be mitigated by moving production to other factories in Foxconn.
Calls have increased for margin high-tech such as Apple companies - company greater world of technology - to take the lead and several of its lucrative profits by raising the level of work among its suppliers of China ploughing.
"" What Apple can do is clearly pay Foxconn more for their contracts and makes this possible payment on a better wages and conditions for workers, said Crothall. "."Apple can take a loss on it or reduce the profits or pass these costs to consumers.
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