14 DAY TRIAL // Poisoned workers based at a factory in east China's Suzhou industrial park owned by Wintek have sent a letter to Apple appealing for help, as they have not fully recuperated.
In its Supplier Responsibility report, Apple admitted that 137 Wintek workers had been taken to hospital due to hexyl hydride, or n-hexane poisoning.
The company said they had all recovered.
“Apple has verified that all affected workers have been treated successfully, and we continue to monitor their medical reports until full recuperation,” the Mac maker stated.
“Following China law, Wintek has paid medical treatment, meals, and foregone wages for sick or recuperating workers. A majority of the 137 workers have returned to employment at the same factory," the report said.
Yet, some Wintek workers they are still suffering ill effects.
Specifically, they claim the poisoning has caused numbness, fatigue and painful, swollen hands and feet, Metro.co.uk reports.
Those with knowledge of the chemical say that daily exposure can cause long-term and possibly irreversible nerve damage.
Before using n-hexane, Wintek employed alcohol to clean the iPad touchscreen panels. The toxic substance reportedly evaporated much faster, therefore allowed more panels to be moved.
Wintek stopped using n-hexane, and returned to alcohol, after learning it was making workers ill.
According to multiple sources, the poisoned workers have written a letter to Apple asking for compensation due to their ongoing health problems.
According to those who’ve seen the letter, the workers say, 'This is a killer, a killer that strikes invisibly... From when hexyl hydride was used, monthly profits at Apple and Wintek have gone up by tens of millions every month, the accumulated outcome of workers' lives and health.'
Jia Jingchuan, a 27-year-old production technician for Wintek who claimed he fell ill from the hexyl hydride, said, “I hope Apple can respect our labour and our dignity. I hope they can stand up and apologise to us.”