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Dangers of going to factories in China [photos]

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I tend to write too much text on this blog, so here are three recent photos to illustrate the dangers of going to factories in China.

First, a bus accident that involved one of my inspectors yesterday:

Bus accident in China

We are not sure what happened. It was a very strong shock. My inspector suffers back pain, and his laptop is ruined. But he doesn’t want to take a bed rest for a week!

Second, a factory was in fire while another inspector was working (that was last month):

Chinese factory in fire

My inspector was actually with a representative from the buyer, and they were only 2 floors below the fire.

You might think that got out immediately… They finished the job in the heat and the smoke! When I knew about it, I told them they were nuts. The inspector should have left the factory immediately.

And finally, a cute sign that I spotted in a stairway:

Signs on a Chinese factory wall

No comment about this one…

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Related post: Traveling to factories in China

Comments

  2. Yes, there are amazing workers, and a little too much sometimes… Better focus on safety first, and doing the work at hand second.

  3. I’ve never had any confidence in those buses. Glad your inspector is ok. I always opt for the train instead of the bus when possible. Until now I thought I was just being paranoid.

  4. Carey,
    You are right, trains are MUCH safer than long-distance buses in China. Unfortunately, the train network isn’t nearly as developed as I’d like it to be.
    Oh, and by the way… City buses are not much better. I was riding one this afternoon, and the rear-view mirror of the bus behind us shattered our back glass.

    • Yes, and also how many hours he had been driving over the last 48 hours… Or maybe it’s a mechanical problem (the wheel got off??)

  6. > the rear-view mirror of the bus behind us shattered our back glass.
    I’ve watched a Dongguan bus position itself while stopped at a traffic light, jockeying back and forth and sideways, so our bus just ahead would smash it’s mirror. If they have to return to a base when the bus is damaged, it might become a nice break/rest/change for the driver. I’ve seen that pattern many times in North American factories.

    I think the chemical dangers can be significant. I’ve had bad sinus-lung problems from just very short time chemical escapes.

  8. Almost all factories have a factory car and assigned driver. We insist that they pick us up at the airport or hotel. They always show up with a case of water and snacks. Some higher end hotels (like Shangri-La) have cars and drivers for hire. One of our suppliers actually purchased a nice mercedes SUV just for transporting visitors. The busses are a nightmare. I only use those as a very last resort – to get to the airport to leave the country.