TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan authorities fined a golf ball manufacturer 2.4 million New Taiwan dollars ($75,000) on Monday and warned of criminal charges for storing 30 times the legal limit of hazardous material and other violations after a major factory fire killed nine people and left one other missing.
Launch Technologies is one of the world's major golf ball makers, producing 20% of the global supply last year.
Since 2018, the company has been fined 200,000 New Taiwan dollars ($6,200) for safety and health violations and another 300,000 New Taiwan dollars ($9,300) over labor conditions, according to Taiwan's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The company was also fined 300,000 New Taiwan dollars ($9,300) for air pollution violations in 2020, according to its 2021 annual report.
Company general manager Lu Ying-cheng said at a news conference on Sunday that Launch Technologies has made improvements to the work environment in recent years.
Persons:
Chou Chun, Chou, Lu Ying, cheng, ” Lu, Wanqing Chen
Organizations:
Taiwan, Technologies, Taiwan's Central News Agency, . Company, Launch Technologies, Safety, Health Administration, Company, Taiwan Stock Exchange, Associated Press
Locations:
TAIPEI, Taiwan, Pingtung, Beijing