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

Failure to Provide Potable Water
Workers at several Chinese mining operations in Zambia complained that there was no
drinking water available to them, despite working in hot and dusty environments. Since
breaks are not allowed—or feasible, in terms of underground operations—workers described
going an entire day in these environments without potable water, compounding heath
impacts. Zambia’s Employment Act requires “[e]very employer [to] ensure that there is at the
place of employment an adequate supply of drinking water for the use of his employees.” 116
ILO Recommendation 183 likewise states that “employers should, where appropriate, provide
and maintain at no cost to the worker … adequate supplies of potable drinking-water.” 117
A worker in Sino Metals tailings plant contrasted the reality there:
There is no domestic water in tailings, which is not normal. There are more
than 200 of us that work there and yet no water. There wasn’t even a toilet
for a long time. Just in the last couple months they’ve installed two toilets.
In the crusher plant, there is also no water, no toilet. The only place with
domestic water is the SX facility…. For the rest of us, we suffer. We’re
dealing with chemicals and dust all day, and we have nothing to drink. 118
Another worker at Sino Metals said that the only water was for industrial use, not even for
assisting in removing the dust from the environment. He said that the union had tried to
raise the issue, but the Chinese management had been unresponsive. 119
At NFCA, an underground miner said that his partner became so thirsty that he drank from
the industrial water, for which he was physically assaulted by the Chinese manager:
We were deep underground, and it was hot. There’s no water for us down
there. My partner was exhausted and opened some of the mining water to
refresh, to cool down. And when the boss saw that, he beat him. He punched
him and beat him with a tool that was in his hand. It was reported to the
police, but the Chinese guy is still working, nothing has been done. 120
116 Republic of Zambia, Chapter 268: The Employment Act (Act No. 57 of 1965, as last amended by Act No. 15 of 1997),
Section 42: Water for use of employees, 1997.
117 ILO Recommendation 183, para 25.
118 Human Rights Watch interview with miner A in the tailings department at Sino Metals, Kitwe, November 8, 2010.
119 Human Rights Watch interview with miner in the crushing plant at Sino Metals, Kitwe, November 7, 2010.
120 Human Rights Watch interview with underground boomer operator B at NFCA, Chambishi, November 11, 2010.
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