The French Trade Union Collectives is made up of 5 major unions. They opposed ‌Iranian authorities for the coal mine explosion. This incident took the lives of approximately 52 people. They claimed that the government and employers did not fulfil their duties efficiently and failed to save ‌workers, as outlined by international labour laws. This negligence points to a significant gap in safety measures within the mining industry, raising concerns about the systemic issues that allow such tragedies to occur.

The union claims he highlights a significant problem with how workers’ safety is handled. It points out the urgent need for responsibility and change. If safety rules do not change, then similar incidents could happen in the future, putting workers’ lives in danger. This situation points out the importance of labour rights and calls for world leaders to improve safety measures in dangerous jobs.

This incident happened on September 21. The explosion at the Tabas coal mine highlights the severe safety problems in Iran’s mining industry. 

It was caused by a methane gas leak deep in the mine, which made conditions dangerous for trapped miners in Block B. Rescue efforts struggled because of the high methane levels.

Labour unions strongly opposed the management teams. They ignored ‌warnings from miners about methane gas before the explosion. Workers were forced to continue their work in a risky environment. This pressure highlights the lack of concern for their safety. 

This incident is part of a bigger issue, as 2023 statistics reveal that 2,115 people died in workplace accidents in Iran, with 27,000 injured. These numbers stress the urgent need for better safety measures and more attention to workers’ safety concerns to prevent such disasters in the future.

The industry is suffering from this increasing number of deadly mining accidents. This increasing figure highlights the lack of political will to solve the complexity. Recently, Ali Nesaee Zohan, the public prosecutor and head of the South Khorasan Revolutionary Court, said that a deep investigation explored many facts. It has been noted that the mine lacked important safety measures. This negligence of mine management teams indicates that they don’t care about the employee’s safety. 

Hassan Hashemi, a representative from Birjand in Iran’s Islamic Consultative Assembly, also strongly opposed the Tabas Ma’danjoo mine’s management. He highlighted that they did not implement important safety measures. It includes an online monitoring system and a gas venting shaft.

Hashemi argued that these missing safety features directly contributed to the explosion. This situation illustrates how management’s inaction not only endangered the lives of miners but also reflects a broader issue of inadequate safety measures in the mining sector. Without significant changes and stronger regulations, the safety of workers remains at risk.

IranWire spoke with Abolfazl Hedayati, a safety and HSE engineer with coal mine expertise, on the serious consequences of methane gas poisoning, even in cases where the sufferer lives. Memory loss, long-term heart and circulatory difficulties, breathing problems, and nervous system impairment are possible long-term effects. Health, Safety, and Environment, or HSE, is a collection of laws, rules, and practices designed to safeguard the environment, workers, contractors, and employees. HSE regulations mandate that four gases be monitored in mining operations: oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, and flammable gasses. Both stationary and portable gas detectors are commonly used for this monitoring.

Iran Wire’s analysis highlights the cost of portable gas detectors in Iran. Its cost lies between 12 and 14 million tomans, equal to workers’ monthly pay. The high cost may prevent them from being significantly used, risking the miner’s safety. The victim’s families are also not happy with the government’s response and say,

“You make so much money from the mine.”

The government’s priority should be the safety of mine, otherwise, the environment remains at risk.