After a deadly battery factory fire, attention turns to the safety of migrant workers
LA TimesThe workers never stood a chance. “Most of them were day laborers, so we believe that the fact that they were unfamiliar with the layout of the building played a part as well.” On Thursday, police raided the offices of Aricell and the temp agency that provided the workers, arresting five people in an investigation centered on whether the company violated industrial safety laws. “We routinely conducted safety training and received regular safety inspections,” Park said at a news conference at the factory Tuesday. “We have fire warning systems, fire extinguishers and evacuation manuals to help people easily find exits.” A vehicle of the South Korea Crime Scene Investigation team arrives on Tuesday. “It’s a system that is fundamentally flawed because it’s not like they can redo all the safety training every time someone new comes in.” Lithium batteries can combust from moisture, external impact or faulty manufacturing, making fires an ever-present threat for which manufacturers should be prepared, experts say.