Chinese workers are planning to sue a Taiwan-based manufacturer who makes iPhone components for Apple. They say they were poisoned by a chemical used to clean LCD screens.

The 44 workers of Wintek in Suzhou, China, are alleging they were poisoned by n-hexane, a chemical that can cause damage to the peripheral nervous system and the spinal cord, according to Stratfor, a global intelligence agency.

Stratfor's report said that since August 2009, 62 Wintek workers have been hospitalized due to n-hexane poisoning.

Wintek, which makes LCD and touch panels for consumer devices, began using n-hexane instead of alcohol sometime last year to clean screens, because apparently it dried more quickly and reduced streaks. Stratfor notes that the manager who decided to use n-hexane has since been fired.

The Guardian reported that after the chemical switch, workers immediately noticed the pungent smell of n-hexane but did not know it would affect their health.

"We hadn't even heard of occupational illnesses before," Wintek worker Xiao Ling said in an interview with The Guardian.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Wintek.

Apple works with several Asian suppliers who provide components for its iPhones, iPads, iPods and Macs. The company earlier this year published its supplier responsibility report, describing the company's efforts to ensure its partners around the world comply with responsible business practices.

In its report (.pdf), Apple said it audited 102 facilities in 2009, up from only 39 just two years ago. The company also claimed it trained 133,000 supervisors and workers on workers' rights and management responsibility.

Global Post ran an extensive report late last year detailing the labor violations committed at supply chains all over Asia. The report based its findings on six months of interviews with workers and activists. Some claimed they worked in sweatshop-like conditions, such as hourly wages below a dollar and firings with no notice.

From Barron's

See Also:

*Photo: dschulian/Flickr

*