Foxconn rocked by latest suicide attempt
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An employee of Taiwan manufacturing giant Foxconn Technology Group, a major manufacturer for the US-based Apple Corp, attempted suicide by jumping out of the company's dormitory building on Tuesday.
In the past month, four Foxconn employees have either ended their lives or attempted suicide.
In the latest case, an 18-year-old worker surnamed Rao leaped from her seventh floor accommodation at the company's factory in Guanlan, Shenzhen, at about 3:20 pm after an altercation with her boyfriend, Foxconn spokesman Liu Kun told China Daily.
An extended tree branch broke the woman's fall, which is probably the reason she survived. Rao is being treated at a local hospital, where her condition is said to be critical.
Witnesses said Rao was quarrelling with her boyfriend over the phone when she threatened to jump off the building.
Rao became a frontline worker through internal recommendation on March 8 this year, according to the company.
"The company's preliminary investigation showed that she took the extreme step due to her own personal issues, but the police will probe the incident and produce an authoritative result," said Liu.
He added that the company will do all it possible could to save the injured worker.
Company records showed Rao was not under too much pressure at work. She had put in less than 20 hours of overtime in the past month, Liu said.
The incident comes eight days after a 23-year-old worker fell from 14th floor of the dormitory building at the same factory.
Liu said the company is providing psychological counselling to its near 400,000-strong work force in Shenzhen.
Sun Qi, a psychologist with the Shenzhen Yiquan Psychological Consultation Company, said companies should pay more attention to the mental health of their employees.
"It must have some negative impact on the employees when their colleagues commit suicide. Companies must set up a workable system to relieve the mental burden of their employees," Sun said.
The efforts can include a 24-hour hotline for psychological help and a crisis prevention center, she suggested.
In 2007, the Ministry of Health estimated that there are 25 suicides per every 100,000 people in China each year, compared with 15 per 100,000 globally.
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