Ethical issues and working environment at a chemical plant

Ethical issues in the case

Anita had an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from a Malaysian higher learning institution. She was sponsored by a renowned multinational corporation. In return, she was to serve this organization as a contractual arrangement after graduation. To her surprise, just a month after her final examination, she was called to report for duty at a subsidiary chemical plant producing plastic materials, based at Senawang Industrial Park, Negeri Sembilan.

 

On the first day of work, Mr Kassey, the human resource executive, brought her around the plant to be introduced to the shop floor supervisors and general workers. While touring, she was taken to a drying shed where an intermediate chemical product was being washed with benzene and then dried in the hot sun. This task was done by general foreign workers and their eyes were watering while striving to complete their assigned task. Mr Aziz, a supervisor, was assigned to monitor them to ensure efficiency and that they met key performance indicators (KPIs) set by Dr Aaron, the plant manager. Anita knew through her readings that benzene is a carcinogenic product.

 

While all the general workers were busy completing their tasks, to her shock, a worker by the name of Sivan suddenly retaliated and refused to continue doing his task due to excessive eye irritation. He also accused the management, saying that nobody informed him on the workplace risks and hazards when he joined the plant. Mr Aziz shouted at him and they ended up in a fight. Mr Aziz even uttered, “Do it or I shall dismiss you!” Luckily, a few of Sivan’s co-workers tried to be mediators. All parties finally left the scene after a challenging 15 minutes attempting to calm down the tense situation. Anita saw this unexpected scene in front of her eyes.

 

In another instance, one of the supervisors purposely tried to brush her shoulders when she was passing by and winked at her. She felt confused and did not have a clue as to what he was up to. At 5 p.m, she clocked out and decided to queue for a company-provided bus to Seremban LRT station. Anita stays in Kuala Lumpur with her parents and she has to commute daily to work. During the train journey home, reflections of her experiences on the first day at work crossed her mind. In fact, she was so deeply involved in her thoughts that she missed the train station where she was supposed to get off. Anita finally arrived home at 9 p.m and felt relieved to see her family waiting for her to have dinner together. But, before she slept, she pondered in suspense on what would be the next episode at the workplace the following day.      

 

 

 

QUESTIONS:

 

1)

 

    a) Identify and elaborate on THREE (3) ethical issues in this case.

                                                                                                                                      

                                                        

    b) Comment on the working environment at the chemical plant.

                                                                                                                                         

 

   a) Is it ethical for Sivan to refuse to do his assigned task and disobey Mr Aziz’s instructions?

      

   b) Assess whether Anita was sexually harassed on her first day at work.