Health and Profit in the Electronics Industry
Taken From Voices Vol. 6 No. 1 - Jan/Feb 1982 - Private Circulation. Cristian Conference of Asia Urban Rural Mission 57 Peking Road, 5/F Kowloon, Hong Kong
When Fair child penetrated the labour market of Asia twenty years ago by establishing the first semi-conductor assembly plant in Hong Kong, the electronics industry was (and still is) promoted as a sophisticated and technologically advanced industry. In two decades, the electronics workers in Hong Kong increased to a strength of 90,000. As the government and the entrepreneurs work hard to "employ more workers and expand", workers are beginning to discover the potential hazards they are exposed to.
In a recent statement, the Federation of Hong Kong Industries which represents all the main industrial enterprises claimed that the electronics industry is "the most technologically advanced, safe and clean industry in the world", and that "the industry contributes significantly to the improvement of the quality of life". Yet two surveys reveal that electronics workers in Hong Kong are already suffering from all kinds of disease, not realising that it is a result of their work.
The Hong Kong and Kowloon Electronics Industry Employees General Union conducted a medical chek-up on 800 electronics workers between October and December last year. It was found that 45% of the interviewees had miopia and other defects in eyesight, 15% of the workers had stomach and intestinal problems. 13% of them had bronchitis, over 11% suffered anaemia and 10% of them had nasal problems.
According to Industrial Health, a regular publication of a community industrial health centre in Hong Kong, a small scale survey carried out in mid-1981 showed the following:
* Among the workers who used microscopes, 90.2% of them suffer from eyestrain, 23.5% of them have double vision, and 60.8% of them found their eyesight was deteriorating. These symptoms were found to be less significant among other workers
* Among the workers who have excessive noise in their working conditions, 20.2% of them found their hearing power deteriorating. 19.8% of them have difficulties in
respiration. These symptoms were again less significant among other workers.
* Among the workers who have contact with chemicals, especially organic solvents, 48.7% of them found their eyesight deteriorating, 35.5% of them often have sore
throats and 25% of them have running noses, 43.3% of them often suffer from backache and 25% of them could not sleep. These symptoms were also less significant among other workers.
It was concluded that the above symptoms are very closely related with the potential hazards in the electronics industry.
It was also observed that more women then men suffered frequent headaches (51% : 31.3% ), probably due to the fact that women were more often employed in repetitive, monotonous yet detailed work, so they experienced more stress and anxiety. Daily-paid workers were also more susceptible to stiffness in arms and legs when compared with monthly paid workers (162%: 5.9%).
The workers who have worked in the electronics industry for a longer time suffer from sore throats and running noses more often, probably due to lengthy exposure to solvents used in the industry.
Besides the chemicals and the nature of the work, which have led to various diseases, the survey further observed that the repressive working conditions were the main cause for the physical and psychological stress on the workers. It was found that the workers who receive more bonus and allowances suffered backache, nausea and vomiting more often than other workers. The whole system of production quota adds to the pressure on workers. Among the 75 workers receiving medical check-ups in this survey, 47.5% of the workers have constant headaches, 38.8% of them often feel drowsy, 38.8% found their eyesight deteriorating, 38.3% often felt pain in their arms and legs, 31.7% of them often felt dizzy and 30.6% of them had frequent backache.
overtime — 10 days each month and 2 i/2 hours each day on average. Overtime work increases stress on workers, which not only leads to general tiredness, but also makes the workers more susceptible to diseases and other hazards.
In the survey carried out by the Electronics Workers Union, it was found that 88% of the factories in which the workers were working did not have any medical facilities or health service, and only 11.77% of the factories have a nurse or a doctor who comes to the factory for one hour each day.
In the survey of the industrial health centre, it was found that nearly all the workers interviewed (only 3 exceptions) did not have a medical check-up before being employed, nor since.
Last year, the electronics industry in Hong Kong continued to grow despite market recession in the west. According to the government statistics, the industry managed a 20% growth rate until September last year. Even though the industry is beginning to feel the market recession now, especially just before Chinese New Year(25th-27th January) when a great number of electronic workers were laid off or partially unemployed, still both the government and the entrepreneurs perceive that the electronics industry will continue to be "the star of Hong Kong's export trade". This is further proven by the increasing foreign investment in the electronics industry in Hong Kong.
Therefore, whilst the entrepreneurs are enjoying the benefits of this booming industry the workers are suffering the consequences!