(Yicai Global) March 6 -- A worker at the Zhengzhou plant of Foxconn Technology, an original equipment manufacturer for Apple, jumped to his death this week. Police ruled out homicide in an initial investigation, but the local management committee urged the company to provide employees with care and psychological counseling.

The management committee of Zhengzhou Airport Economic Zone, the industrial park where Foxconn's factory is located in Zhengzhou, central Henan province, confirmed the incident to Yicai Global yesterday. The 38-year-old employee, surnamed Zhao, fell from the 11th floor of the staff dormitory building on the evening of March 2.

Staff saw a worker climbing onto a dormitory balcony at around 19.40 p.m. during a routine patrol. Some took the elevator to the 11th floor, hoping to save Zhao, only to find that the dormitory door was locked from the inside and they could not enter. But he later fell onto a 3rd floor balcony even as 119 and 120 rescuers were on the way.

Investigation shows that the area has no confirmed Covid-19 cases. The worker also did not have symptoms of the novel coronavirus, nor was Zhao in quarantine as a suspected case.

Zhao was a dispatch employee at New Taipei City-based Foxconn's Integrated Digital Product Business Group. The group mainly develops and manufactures high-tech products, including computers, MP3 players, mobile phones, NoteBooks, palmtop computers, and speakers. One of its main tasks is to produce iPhones for Apple.

The business group has faced difficulties in resuming work due to the epidemic. To encourage employees to return to work in time, it announced via WeChat last month that it would give considerable financial rewards to such staff. In addition, Foxconn headquarters also hired academician Zhong Nanshan, a well-known Chinese respiratory specialist, as the general consultant for epidemic prevention and work resumption.

Foxconn employees who have returned to work face more stringent management. An employee at the Zhengzhou plant told Yicai Global that he is only allowed to go to the production line and his bedroom since he started work on Feb. 13, which is almost depressing.

As part of the fight against the disease, the Zhengzhou plant staff take turns to dine in batches, and are not allowed to decide on their own meal time, he said. Designated staff disinfect and clean table tops after each group of employees has finished eating. Only then can the next group be seated. Some workers do not go to the canteen due to the complicated dining procedures, and choose to eat instant noodles and ham bought from a supermarket instead.

The Zhengzhou Airport Economic Zone police are investigating Zhao's death and have preliminarily ruled out the possibility of murder. The local management committee actively cooperated with Foxconn in aftercare work for Zhao. It has urged Foxconn to further strengthen employee care and psychological counseling and provide targeted management services.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Peter Thomas