Criticism of Officials' Indifference to the Increase in 'Heartbreaking Deaths' of Workers Due to Unprecedented Heat

The head of the Iranian Construction Workers' Union criticized the indifference of officials and institutions to the problems faced by workers during the hot season, stating that the unprecedented heat has not only increased the mortality rate of workers at work but has also led to a rise in incidents such as 'amputation' and 'spinal cord injury' among workers. Akbar Shokat said on Thursday, June 21, that extreme heat in southern Iran has diminished workers' strength and concentration while working in the summer. This labor activist emphasized that 'in the hot season, the transportation of rebar should be done using machinery and in compliance with safety principles,' adding, 'Last year, we had several incidents where rebar being carried by workers came into contact with electrical wires, resulting in deaths from electrocution. Additionally, the falling of rebar on workers can lead to heartbreaking deaths.' He explained that 'it is very bad that in underdeveloped countries, forklifts are used for transporting items over 20 kg, but in Iran, the transportation of every 50 kg bag, which is dangerous and can cause disc issues for workers, is still done manually.' Mr. Shokat added that 'in some projects in various parts of the world, work can continue at night with adequate lighting, but in Iran, the vast majority of projects do not have this capability.' He continued, however, that 'by dividing work into two shifts, at least 5 hours of work could be suspended from before noon to after noon to prevent workers from suffering heat exhaustion and various heat-related injuries, thus preserving their strength.' The head of the Iranian Construction Workers' Union further stated that in many cases, project employers even refuse to provide 'safe and cool drinking water' for workers. 'More than two thousand workers' died in workplace incidents in 2023. Akbar Shokat pointed out that during the hot season, 'the most incidents' occur for workers working on scaffolding, announcing that 'half of our incidents are still due to workers falling from scaffolding, most of which occur in the summer.' Mr. Shokat continued, 'We have repeatedly asked the Ministry of Labor to model safe scaffolding examples and make their installation mandatory to avoid the cancellation of construction work permits.' The government's and responsible institutions' indifference to the safety of construction scaffolding comes despite a forensic official announcing in May this year that 'falls from heights always account for the largest share of workplace accident fatalities.' Ali Ziaei stated that the number of workplace accidents in 2023 increased by '11.3 percent' compared to the previous year, noting that 'last year, 983 of the victims of workplace incidents lost their lives due to falls from heights, which accounts for 46.5 percent of total fatalities.' Independent labor activists and organizations continually warn about the high rates of worker deaths and injuries in Iran due to a lack of safety, assessing official statistics as significantly lower than actual figures. The forensic organization had previously announced that in the first six months of 2023, a total of 1,077 workers lost their lives in Iran while working and on job assignments. This figure represents a 15.7 percent increase compared to the same period the previous year.