“You'll Be Fired if You Refuse” - Human Rights Watch

To protect against problems associated with mining, ILO Convention No. 176 requires
employers in mining operations to inform workers of the work’s hazards; to “take
appropriate measures to eliminate or minimize risks resulting from exposure to those
hazards”; to ensure “adequate protection against risk of accident or injury to health,”
including through the provision and maintenance, at no cost, of personal protective
equipment; and to provide first aid at the workplace as well as “access to appropriate
medical facilities.” 106 The biggest problems in the Chinese-owned mines are the second and
third requirements, on minimizing risks and providing adequate protection. Rather than
eliminating or minimizing the risks, Chinese mine owners and managers appear to increase
the risks through threats against workers who would prioritize safety over production.
While these problems are discussed in more detail below, a doctor who had worked for
more than a decade at the mine hospital for Luanshya Mine, which was owned and run by
a Swiss-based investor until sold to CNMC in 2009, told Human Rights Watch:
The number of accidents under the Chinese has gone way up, we have seen
this in the hospital. They’re not concerned about safety. There have been
several fatal accidents since they took over, and we did not see many at all
before them. I see lots of cases of crushed fingers as well, one just last
week…. I can tell you from the hospital side, accidents are a major problem
now. We see more than ever before. And most of these could be prevented
if safety was prioritized. We need to sensitize the Chinese about the safety
rules, about the labor laws, and they need to start following these. 107
To bring attention to potential safety hazards, daily safety talks among work units—at the
beginning of each shift—are fairly standard across the copper mining industry. A miner at
the tailings and leach plant was one of several KCM employees to underscore their
importance: “The company emphasizes safety talks before the job. These are done within
our sections, for about five minutes in every shift before we start. Everyone takes part, and
we talk about the dangers. These have reduced the number of accidents.” 108 Miners at
Mopani and Kansanshi likewise mentioned daily safety talks in various departments. 109
106 ILO Convention No. 176, art. 9. See also ILO Recommendation no. 183, paras. 19-20.
107 Human Rights Watch interview with medical professional at Luanshya Mine hospital, Luanshya, November 10, 2010.
108 Human Rights Watch interview with operator at the tailings and leach plant at KCM, Chingola, November 14, 2010.
109 Human Rights Watch interviews with an underground truck operator at Mopani, Mufulira, November 16, 2010; with
operator A in the processing plant at Kansanshi, Solwezi, November 12, 2010.
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