Due to the lack of strict government supervision and the absence of independent trade union organizations, Iranian workers face deadly risks every day. The situation is so dire that, in a single day, we hear of a worker losing their lives due to a fire in a guardhouse in Neyshabur, and another worker tragically falling to their death while working on a building in Mashhad.
Despite numerous domestic and international warnings about the high number of labor accidents, the news of workers’ deaths and injuries continues to spread. Just recently, we learned of the death of a worker in Dehgolan, Kurdistan province, and the tragic loss of two workers in a power plant during the early days of November.
On November 7, reports revealed yet another tragic incident. A construction worker in the Abdol Mutalib Boulevard area of Mashhad lost his life after falling from a significant height while working in a construction unit. It is disheartening to note that this worker, around 65 years old, fell due to not having safety equipment. Although rescuers rushed him to the hospital in an ambulance, he succumbed to his severe injuries.
On October 17, the Rokna website reported the collapse of a building on Palestine Street in Baqershahr. This incident trapped three workers under the debris, resulting in the unfortunate death of one worker. Fortunately, two other workers were rescued from under the debris and taken to the hospital.
The severity of work accidents is further highlighted by the limited reach of news sources. The number of incidents we hear about is likely just a fraction of the reality. The publication of news concerning the deaths of 26 workers in one month, with minimal statistics available, leaves no room for doubt that the lives of workers are at stake.
The absence of accurate statistics on work-related accidents in the country is concerning. According to the latest official statistics of the regime, 1,900 workers lost their lives last year due to work-related accidents. However, this figure was presented by Masoud Qadipasha, the deputy medical and laboratory officer of the Forensic Medicine Organization.
Another statistic, provided by Ali Hossein Raitifard, the deputy of labor relations at the Ministry of Labor, indicates a significantly lower number. According to Raitifard, 711 workers died last year due to work accidents. This discrepancy raises questions about the accuracy of the data, especially when we consider the limited coverage of labor news.
Despite these varying statistics, the deputy of labor relations at the Ministry of Labor maintains that the number of labor accidents in the country is lower than the global average. However, the basis for this claim remains unclear.
The regime’s Ministry of Labor touts Iran’s accession to the 155th Convention on Safety and Health of the International Labor Organization as a significant achievement. Nevertheless, the death of 1,900 workers annually sends a more explicit message about the state of workers’ rights than international conventions.
In a recent news interview, Raitifard outlined measures taken to reduce work-related accidents. These measures include drafting guidelines and regulations in the meetings of the Supreme Council of Technical Protection and Safety, as well as agreements for safety training with technical and professional organizations. However, are these measures effective, particularly in the context of over 50% of work accidents being related to construction workers?
In response to these questions, it is evident that the persistently high number of work-related accidents suggests that joining Convention 155 and issuing circulars, regulations, and memorandums alone cannot significantly reduce these incidents. Work accident statistics in the country have remained largely unchanged for many years, indicating underlying issues.
Much like other regulations and decisions within this regime, it appears that writing laws, issuing memorandums and circulars, and joining conventions have become symbolic gestures rather than substantial changes. These actions serve the regime’s goal of presenting a facade to international and domestic regulatory institutions, while practical improvements remain lacking.
The Ministry of Labor’s commitment to safety has not translated into a sufficient level of oversight, with some inspectors relative to the number of workshops. Although the regime may claim to have enacted numerous laws for workshop inspections, the practicality of enforcement is undermined by the inadequate number of inspectors, resulting in laws and regulations that are often disregarded.
