Critics argue that profits are wrongly prioritised over health and safety regulations in China
A blaze at a poultry slaughterhouse in Jilin province in China, which killed at least 119 people, has raised concerns over health and safety standards in the country.
The cause of the fire is unclear, but it is believed to have resulted from either an ammonia leak or an electrical fault, according to the BBC.
The broadcasting channel said those who escaped the fire complained of narrow hallways making it difficult to escape. Others said exits were blocked or locked.
Critics argue that profits are wrongly prioritised over health and safety regulations in China. Hong Kong-based labour rights group China Labour Bulletin spokesman Geoffrey Crothall told the BBC: “Over the past 10 years there has been some improvement [in accident prevention], although there is certainly no real culture of safety in Chinese workplaces.”
“Safety, unfortunately, still comes second to productivity and profits. There are, unfortunately, deaths at coal mines and factories pretty much every day, but no-one pays attention when it is one or two people.”
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