Labour dept complains over CP safety standards

The Department of Labour Protection and Welfare (DLPW) has lodged a police complaint against Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) for failing to have proper safety measures in place, resulting in the deaths of five people at CPF’s plant in Bang Na last month.

Sumet Mahosot, director-general of the DLPW, said yesterday the agency’s safety inspectors questioned representatives of CPF and reviewed the evidence at the scene.

It is found the employer failed to comply with the 2011 Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Act and the 2004 ministry regulation on the work conditions in confined space, he said.

The employer both failed to inform employees working in perilous conditions of the dangers associated with their work and to hand out work manuals to all their workers, according to Mr Sumet.

There was no signboard warning of the danger of the wastewater treatment pond, where the five lost their lives, he said. He added the factory failed to set up a barricade to prevent people from entering or falling into this confined space.

The violators could face a jail term of up to one year or a fine of up to 400,000 baht, or both. The inspectors lodged the complaint with police last Wednesday, Mr Sumet added.

The victims were a fifth-year veterinary student at Chulalongkorn University who was visiting the plant with a friend, a company environmental officer and three other CPF employees.

The 23-year-old student reportedly fell into the pond first, prompting the environmental officer and three other staff members to rush in to rescue her. They are thought to have died from inhaling toxic gases given off by the pond, which handles 5,500 cubic metres of wastewater per day.

CPF representatives, who could not be reached for comment, said earlier CPF planned to offer financial help to the victims’ families and insisted safety standards be complied with at the factory.