HRCM launches probe after WAMCO worker injured
The HRCM said it had observed repeated incidents of employee injuries at WAMCO workplaces and expressed concern about the safety of workers.
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The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) on Thursday launched an investigation into workplace safety practices at Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO).
The investigation follows an incident in which a WAMCO employee was injured at a company site in Malé. The employee is receiving treatment at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) and remains on a ventilator.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the HRCM said it had observed repeated incidents of employee injuries at WAMCO workplaces and expressed concern about the safety of workers. The commission said the incidents have also raised public concerns regarding the adequacy of occupational safety measures at the company.
The HRCM noted that waste management work involves exposure to biological contaminants, hazardous substances, sharp objects and heavy machinery, as well as physically demanding tasks.
The commission said the purpose of the investigation is to assess whether appropriate safety measures are being implemented. The scope of the inquiry includes compliance with the Workplace Safety and Health Act, identification of health hazards faced by workers, availability and use of personal protective equipment, provision of safety training, reporting and follow-up of workplace incidents, and the treatment of foreign and vulnerable workers.
The investigation will also assess whether employees are able to raise workplace safety concerns without fear of intimidation or reprisals.
According to the HRCM, the inquiry will involve site visits, inspections and reviews of relevant documents. Unannounced inspections will also be carried out, including meetings with management and employees.
“The Commission calls on current or former WAMCO employees, worker representatives and members of the public with relevant information to cooperate with this investigation,” the HRCM said, adding that all information provided will be treated as confidential and that retaliation against those who cooperate is unlawful.
Maldives Police Service said the incident at the WAMCO site is under investigation but did not disclose further details. WAMCO has not issued an official statement.
Police and the HRCM provided comments after information and images related to the incident circulated on social media and journalists sought clarification through media groups.
According to claims made in a social media post accompanying a photograph, the employee fell from the ramp of a WAMCO vehicle onto a container, with an estimated height difference of 12 to 13 feet. The post states that the injured worker was a company driver and that the incident occurred at around 3.00 pm on Sunday. It also alleges that employees present were asked not to disclose the incident and that the case was reported to police by the employee’s family.
