Govt to inspect chemical plants<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Bekasi, West Java<\/p>\n
Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea said the
\ngovernment would learn from the recent explosion at a chemical
\nplant in East Java, and increase inspections of chemical plants
\nto avoid future incidents.<\/p>\n
Speaking before employers and workers at the Jababeka
\nindustrial area in Cikarang, West Java, over the weekend, the
\nminister said manpower and transmigration offices across the
\ncountry had been ordered to inspect all plants using dangerous
\nand toxic substances as their raw materials. The inspectors will
\nmake sure the plants are in compliance with Law No. 6\/1974 on
\nobligatory occupational health and safety standards, and the ILO
\nconvention on labor inspections.<\/p>\n
\"The government will take action against companies infringing
\non the obligatory occupational health and safety program (K3), to
\nminimize victims of occupational accidents,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nuwa Wea expressed concern that the explosion at chemical
\nplant PT Petrowidada in Gresik, East Java, occurred during
\noccupational health and safety month, which was marked earlier
\nthis month by President Megawati Soekarnoputri honoring employers
\nwith perfect safety records in 2003.<\/p>\n
He said he sent a special team to Gresik to investigate
\nwhether the accident was the result of a lack of inspections or
\nthe company's ignorance of the occupational health and safety
\nprogram.<\/p>\n
\"We will take action against any K3 officers who failed to
\nensure the implementation of K3 at the company, or bring the
\ncompany's management to court if it violated the law,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the government wanted chemical and nuclear plants to
\nlearn from the explosion at the Center for Reactor Salvation
\nTechnology of the National Atomic Energy Agency in Serpong,
\nBanten, in September 1994, and the Chernobyl incident in the
\nUkraine in April 1994.<\/p>\n
The minister also questioned Petrowidada's participation in
\nthe national Social Security Program (Jamsostek), saying workers
\nkilled and injured in the explosion had not received full
\ncompensation.<\/p>\n
\"The company's technical director Samsi Abdul Kohir, who was
\nkilled in the incident, has received only Rp 152 million for his
\nparticipation in the occupational accident program, death
\ninsurance and pension funds. His family received less because his
\nmonthly salary, which has been submitted to Jamsostek, is only Rp
\n4 million. The management has allegedly manipulated its workers'
\nmonthly salaries to avoid paying higher insurance premiums,\" the
\nminister said, adding the company's management would be brought
\nto court if found in violation of the social security law.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-to-inspect-chemical-plants-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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