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20 July, 2005
South African chemicals company Sasol had yet another fatality at its Secunda, Mpumalanga, synfuels plant. And again it involved a contract worker. On 15 March, a worker for US contractor Fluor was killed in an accident inside the plant’s pipe fabrication shop.
The fatality is the seventh major incident at Sasol operations since a contract employee at Secunda allegedly caused a blast last September, killing ten and injuring 360. Welilo Nolingo, General Secretary of ICEM affiliate Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers’ Union, was on site following the death to talk to workers.
CEPPWAWU said Sasol was refusing to take responsibility for this latest incident. Last month, CEO Pieter Cox said the company was reviewing safety procedures for all contractors after safety related incidents at both Secunda and a refinery in Sasolburg, Free State. A South African radio station reported after this latest death that another contractor performing maintenance work for Sasol was doing that work without the necessary permits.