The devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck on August 10th, with its epicenter in the department of Chocó, Colombia , has not only left a trail of mourning and material damage in the South American country, but has also unleashed a wave of indignation following the dissemination of a case of alleged harassment and negligence at work. A video recorded at a company’s facilities in the city of Medellín captured the moment when an executive threatened his employees to remain at their workstations, disregarding evacuation recommendations and ignoring basic emergency risk management rules.
Threats of Administrative Sanctions in the Midst of an Emergency.
In the recording that went viral on digital platforms, it can be seen how the office manager conditioned the withdrawal of staff who expressed distress and the need to get to safety or check on the situation of their relatives. “I already told you my position, and that is, let’s wait and see; if something happens, I’ll be the first to say ‘let’s go,’ because I’m going to leave too, my daughter is in kindergarten, but if not… I’m not going to order you to leave. Whoever wants to leave can leave, but if nothing happens today, you’ll have to answer for abandoning your posts today,” the executive stated.
Social Rejection and Context of National Mourning.
The manager’s behavior has generated strong condemnation from occupational health specialists, unions, and social media users, who categorize the conduct as a flagrant violation of the right to safety and life in the workplace. The controversy comes amid the shock that Colombia is experiencing after the powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake, whose preliminary figures show a severe impact on the infrastructure of the Coffee Region and the Pacific, leaving more than a hundred dead and significant damage to public and private buildings. So far, Colombian labor authorities have not issued a sanction or official statement directly against the company involved.
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