Occupational poisoning has become one of the gravest occupational diseases in China. It tends to happen in clusters around some industries, among which the electronics industry. In this paper, Juliana So seeks to ascertain the state of play and the tempo of the problem in China today, with a focus on Guangdong Province.

Occupational poisoning has become one of the gravest occupational diseases in China. It tends to happen in clusters around some industries, among which the electronics industry. In this paper, Juliana So seeks to ascertain the state of play and the tempo of the problem in China today, with a focus on Guangdong Province. It will do so by way of statistical analysis of the official data on the issue as well as of the associated literature and reports in the country’s publicly available magazines.


The notoriously tricky issue of ascertaining and grappling with cases of occupational poisoning – from the diagnosis, the related supervisory and compensation issues as well as in defence of those afflicted – has for quite some time been a focus of social concern in China. The country’s collective conscience was pricked by outrageous cases such as the predicament of Zhang Haichao, a worker from Henan Province, who had to put up with a highly invasive biopsy procedure after a long saga of having had his medical condition denied for the mere purpose of getting a diagnosis of his lung affliction from occupational causes. People’s jaws dropped learning about the agony of workers who were poisoned by organic tin compounds being recklessly misdiagnosed as having psychotic disorders.

The whole paper is attached.

Author: Juliana So