14 DAY TRIAL // A series of deaths at one of its iPhone assemblers in Shanghai has prompted Apple to fly over a medical team and investigate the working / living conditions at supplier Pegatron.
Reuters reports that “Apple Inc sent medical experts to the Shanghai factory of contractor Pegatron Corp, who concluded that working conditions did not lead to the death from pneumonia of a 15-year-old boy who had lied to gain employment.”
As many as five people died recently at a Pegatron iPhone assembly line, spurring speculation that the deaths were caused by some sort of wrongdoing on Pegatron’s side.
As it turned out, the employer had nothing to do with at least one of the deaths, involving a 15-year-old worker thought to be 21.
Apple itself provided a statement to the press, saying, “Last month we sent independent medical experts from the U.S. and China to conduct an investigation of the [Pegatron] factory.”
“While they have found no evidence of any link to working conditions there, we realize that is of little comfort to the families who have lost their loved ones,” Apple said.
“Apple has a long-standing commitment to providing a safe and healthy workplace for every worker in our supply chain, and we have a team working with Pegatron at their facility to ensure that conditions meet our high standards,” the company added.
Pegatron’s own investigation concluded that the assembly line environment should not cause pneumonia, according to a spokesman named Charles Lin.
As far as the young worker was concerned, “The employee used his 21-year-old cousin's identification to apply for the job, so the factory did not know he was underage,” Lin reportedly told the press.
Lin reiterated his company’s policy on hiring workers of the appropriate age.
“Pegatron has strict measures in place to verify workers’ ages before and after they are hired, and we work with health and safety experts to provide a safe working environment for each and every worker,” company spokesperson Charles Lin said.
“We have an excellent track record of compliance with laws aimed at preventing underage labour,” Lin added.