Workers Waiting to Die in Morowali:
The Risks of Occupational Diseases in One of the World’s Largest Nickel Industrial Zone
Introduction
This research was conducted from August 2023 to December 2024. For over a year, we studied
various occupational safety and health (OSH) issues in the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park
(IMIP), the world’s largest nickel industrial zone in Central Sulawesi. Since it began operations in
2015, IMIP has housed around 50 companies and employed more than 80,000 workers. The report
identifies various workplace hazards that can cause occupational diseases, such as chemical hazards
(exposure to nickel, coal and sulphur, asbestos) and physical hazards (heat and noise). Some of these
workplace hazards have extended into neighbouring communities.
In the nearly 10 years that IMIP has been operating, not a single case of occupational disease has been
recorded. However, this does not mean that IMIP operates with respect for human rights, worker
health, and environmental sustainability. The absence of cases of occupational disease is due to the
lack of diagnosis, which then leads to the failure to recognise symptoms and occupational diseases.
All of this contributes to a lack of efforts to build a better prevention and protection system for
workers’ health.
Another hazard discussed in this research is the long working hours that impact workers’ health. We
also discussed issues faced by female workers, such as difficulties in taking menstrual leave. In
addition, female workers are also required to work night shifts alongside men. Night shifts not only
increase health risks but also make female workers vulnerable to sexual harassment. Prior to August
2024, we received information about pregnant female workers being required to work night shifts.
Other issues that contribute to poor OSH standards are also discussed, including inadequate toilet
facilities and poor food quality.
This report shows that IMIP and its companies prioritise nickel production over the lives of workers.
Workers are often blamed for repeated workplace accidents. The report argues that poor OSH
standards at IMIP are not merely a technical problem that can be solved by improved corporate
governance or increased OSH certification. Instead, poor working conditions and OSH standards are a
political issue. The central government has deliberately weakened law enforcement by limiting the
role of labour inspectors at both regional and national levels to ensure the success of investment in
national strategic projects, thereby supporting the prioritisation of nickel production over workers’
lives in the world’s largest nickel zone.
English version click Workers Waiting to Die in Morowali
