Concerns about the safety of construction workers in China were significantly raised after a video of a worker testing his safety helmet’s durability went viral.
The video of the worker surfaced on the streaming platform Kuaishou on April 11. He can be seen bashing two hard hats together – his yellow hard hat and a red one belonging to his manager.
As seen in the clip, the worker’s yellow one quickly breaks up, while the supervisor’s hat remains undamaged.
The video clip generated millions of online views and sparked considerable debate. On April 17, the Ministry of Emergency Management of the PRC acknowledged the video on their Weibo page and issued a statement pointing out that the safety of workers must be a top priority. The authorities also said hard hats must follow the GB2811-2007 safety ordinance for hard hats.
Internet commentators quickly added their thoughts, expressing how appalled they were at the quality of protective wear given to workers. Many called on the government to conduct routine checks on equipment issued as well as to shut down manufacturers who produce inferior hard hats.
