Contract Worker Dies After Falling into Slag Pool at Nickel Smelter in Southeast Sulawesi
Southeast Sulawesi — A fatal workplace accident occurred at PT OSS on 11 July 2025, claiming the life of a contract worker employed by PT Multi Prima Usahatama (MPU). The victim, Muhammad Fikri, who worked as a dump truck driver (hull number 165), fell into a slag pool at smelter 1 of PT OSS and suffered burns across his entire body from the extremely hot slag water.
According to the chronology of events, the victim was loading slag — industrial waste from nickel smelting — at approximately 10:40 WITA. After his truck had been filled with slag waste, he attempted to move his vehicle forward but hesitated due to thick white smoke obscuring the road and surrounding area. The victim then reversed his truck, but the vehicle tilted, prompting him to step out to check its position. Unaware that the spot where he alighted was a slag pool area concealed by white smoke, the victim fell into the pool.
He was rushed to Bahteramas Hospital in Kendari for medical treatment but was pronounced dead on 12 July 2025 at approximately 04:00 WITA.
The Southeast Sulawesi Regional Board of the Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers' Unions (DPW FSPMI) expressed deep concern over the incident and urged that the labour oversight function take the matter seriously. The union noted that fatal accidents of this nature occur with alarming frequency and regularity, necessitating concrete action to prevent similar incidents in the future.
"FSPMI Southeast Sulawesi hopes that the relevant authorities will strengthen supervision and enforcement against companies that fail to comply with occupational safety standards," said Arif Sanjaya, Chairman of DPW FSPMI Southeast Sulawesi. "We do not want to see similar incidents occur again in the future," he added.
According to the chronology of events, the victim was loading slag — industrial waste from nickel smelting — at approximately 10:40 WITA. After his truck had been filled with slag waste, he attempted to move his vehicle forward but hesitated due to thick white smoke obscuring the road and surrounding area. The victim then reversed his truck, but the vehicle tilted, prompting him to step out to check its position. Unaware that the spot where he alighted was a slag pool area concealed by white smoke, the victim fell into the pool.
He was rushed to Bahteramas Hospital in Kendari for medical treatment but was pronounced dead on 12 July 2025 at approximately 04:00 WITA.
The Southeast Sulawesi Regional Board of the Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers' Unions (DPW FSPMI) expressed deep concern over the incident and urged that the labour oversight function take the matter seriously. The union noted that fatal accidents of this nature occur with alarming frequency and regularity, necessitating concrete action to prevent similar incidents in the future.
"FSPMI Southeast Sulawesi hopes that the relevant authorities will strengthen supervision and enforcement against companies that fail to comply with occupational safety standards," said Arif Sanjaya, Chairman of DPW FSPMI Southeast Sulawesi. "We do not want to see similar incidents occur again in the future," he added.