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Scrap metal workers risk life and limb breaking up ships in Belah Kapal
“When we cut parts of the ships that are filled with fuel, the fumes are heavy, which tightens our chests. We often ease this by drinking milk to remove the air impurities coming in,” said Ahmad Jaelani, a 33-year-old scrap metal worker.
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Scrap workers in Cilincing, North Jakarta, work in a dangerous environment. (JP/Budi Sutrisno)
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cacophony of metal bashing filled the air along the shore of Kalibaru in Cilincing, North Jakarta, on a sweltering Friday morning.
With acetylene torches in their hands, dozens of workers cut parts off old ships in a 2-hectare yard located near an alley, fittingly named Belah Kapal (Ship Breaking).
“It’s a metal-recycling business. Ships that are aged 20 to 30 years or are no longer feasible to operate because of severe damage will be cut up by the sea into car-sized plates, before being lifted ashore and chopped up into pieces measuring only 1 square meter,” said Dulatip, a foreman.
Dulatip and other workers risk life and limb scrapping ships. There is a lack of proper safety equipment to protect them from deadly toxins, exploding gases, falling steel plates or other dangers.
Most workers simply cover their faces with a rag to prevent them from inhaling thick smoke.
“When we cut parts of the ships that are filled with fuel, the fumes are heavy, which tightens our chests. We often ease this by drinking milk to remove the air impurities coming in,” said Ahmad Jaelani, a 33-year-old scrap metal worker.
