Workers Waiting to Die in Morowali: The Risks of Occupational Diseases in One of the World’s Largest Nickel Industrial Zone
This report was written to address the lack of research and discussion on occupational safety and health (OSH) issues in nickel smelters in Indonesia. The case study in this report is the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP), the largest nickel industrial zone in the world, located in the province of Central Sulawesi. In operation since 2015, the IMIP is currently home to around 50 companies and employs more than 90,000 workers. The report specifically identifies and discusses 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 the workers we interviewed began to suffer from asthma, upper respiratory tract infections, and prolonged headaches, which they have been experiencing since working at IMIP. Gradually, some of these workplace hazards have extended into neighbouring communities.
The research focus on the risks of occupational diseases is particularly important because, in nearly 10 years of IMIP’s operation, not a single case of occupational disease has been recorded. Similarly, there are no documented cases of occupational diseases in other nickel smelters in Indonesia. This does not imply that IMIP or other smelters in Indonesia operate with respect for human rights, worker health, or environmental sustainability. Rather, it underscores the absence of occupational disease diagnoses, which in turn leads to a failure to recognise symptoms and address these issues. This, in turn, hinders efforts to develop effective systems for preventing and protecting workers’ health. Another hazard discussed in this study is long working hours, including mandatory overtime, which exceed the limits set by national regulations and international standards and can result in worker fatalities. Challenges faced by female workers were also highlighted, such as difficulties in taking menstrual leave, sexual harassment, and being required to work night shifts alongside male workers.
This report highlights that IMIP and the companies within it prioritise nickel production over the lives of workers. Workers are frequently blamed for recurring workplace accidents, even though they have repeatedly requested regular maintenance of work equipment, which is often ignored by management. 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.
Download Full Version Workers Waiting to Die in Morowali Full Version
