"Two Fatal Incidents at PT Dexin Steel Indonesia Highlight Urgent Need for Improved Worker Safety Standards" October 28, 2024

Two tragic fatalities have been reported at PT Dexin Steel Indonesia (DSI), a tenant company operating a steel production facility in the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) area in Sulawesi Island, Indonesia.

Local sources indicate that an explosion occurred on the afternoon of October 25, 2024, in a nickel waste pool at the facility, resulting in the death of Laode Gunawan, an Indonesian worker who was trapped in the crane he operated. His colleague, Bong Sui Kian, sustained injuries and was transported to the IMIP clinic for treatment.

The following day, as emergency repairs commenced, another worker – a Chinese national – suffered severe dehydration while conducting crane repairs, and was also taken to the IMIP clinic. Unfortunately, the worker later succumbed to his injuries, and was found to be covered in burns on his back according to local sources.

PT DSI is a joint venture comprising PT IMIP, Chinese steel producer Delong Group, and Shanghai Decent Investment; the latter two represented by their overseas subsidiaries Delong Steel Singapore Project and Hanwa Singapore respectively.

[Unofficial translation of IMIP's press release from Bahasa Indonesia to English by the Resource Centre]

IMIP issued a press release on October 26 stating that "the Binwasnaker (Supervision and Development of Occupational Safety and Health) of Central Sulawesi Province is conducting an investigation to determine the exact cause of the workplace accident that occurred at PT Dexin Steel Indonesia on Friday afternoon"...

"As a result of the incident in the DSI-SS Department, PT DSI, one of the tenants in the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP), two employees were affected. One employee named Gunawan passed away, and another employee named Bong Sui Kian suffered minor injuries".

"Last night (10/25/2024), the victim's body was handed over to the family. The company management ensures that all obligations will be fulfilled in accordance with applicable regulations," affirmed PT IMIP's Media Relations Head, Dedy Kurniawan.