Jakarta – Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said has criticized PT Freeport Indonesia for what he deemed was poor occupational safety at its mining site in Timika, Papua, with the death toll reaching 30 in occupational accidents over the years.

"I filed a complaint with Freeport, an international company, as 30 employees have died in occupation accidents," he said in his address at the launch of a geothermal infrastructure development project in Batam, Riau Islands, on Friday.

According to the minister, the deaths were avoidable because occupational accidents were preventable.

"It is not a matter of sophisticated technology but a technical issue, such as when a light vehicle hit a heavy equipment vehicle because of reckless driving," the minister said as quoted by Antara news agency.

An employee of PT Panca Karya Dita Abadi, a partner company of PT Freeport, died on Sunday after undergoing intensive medical treatment. The victim was hospitalized after reportedly being hit by a truck at the mining site in Mimika regency.

Sudirman gave a thumbs up to state-owned PT PGN in occupational safety after it reported zero accidents.

He gave as an example the fact that all PGN drivers were compelled wear seat belts when operating vehicles and all employees and guests, including ministers, were required to wear seat belts when riding in vehicles.

"When a driver reprimanded a minister for such a minor but important thing, it was extraordinary. This indicates that the enterprise and its employees have properly applied occupation safety," he said. (rms)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/30/freeport-slammed-high-occupational-accident-rate.html