Two workers were killed and four others injured following the collapse of a crane at the Razi Petrochemical Plant.
According to Kolbernews, on Friday, April 19, 2024, a tragic incident occurred at Pier No. 6 of the Razi Petrochemical Plant, where a crane collapsed during repair operations, resulting in the loss of two workers’ lives and the injury of four others.
The incident, which occurred at 10:23 AM today, claimed the lives of two maintenance workers on the spot, while four others were rushed to the hospital. Among the injured, two were treated on-site, while the other two, in critical condition, were transferred to medical centers. Despite the efforts of the medical staff, unfortunately, two of the injured did not survive at the hospital.
Reports indicates that similar unfortunate incidents are becoming common in Iran’s workplaces. In the first half of the year 1402, according to the Legal Medicine Organization, 1,077 workers lost their lives due to work-related accidents. These statistics are being presented while the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare significantly underreports the number of fatalities from work-related accidents.
The stark difference between the statistics provided by these two governmental entities highlights legal and regulatory gaps in workplace safety in many of the country’s work places.
Experts believe that employers’ failure to observe safety principles, inadequate supervision by the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, and the lack of proper and standardized workwear for workers are among the most important factors leading to such tragic accidents.
This bitter incident once again underscores the urgent need to seriously address workplace safety in Iran. It is essential to take necessary measures, including intensified supervision, imposition of heavy penalties on violators, and continuous safety training for workers, to prevent such heartbreaking incidents.
