In a departure from Movie Prop Collectors regular subject matter, I thought it would be of interest to readers to share a New Times Article published yesterday, January 25th, 2012 concerning the safety at Apple‘s factories in China.

While the iPad and iPhone are used by many in the entertainment field as well as a popular part of pop culture, Apple’s internal operations are notoriously secretive and not usually available to the general public. This New York Times article breaks that secrecy.

The video below is a May 2011 explosion at the Foxconn Technology factory  mentioned in the Times article.

The article delves into the world of Apple and the reportedly unsafe and sometimes deadly, factories they utilize in China to make Apple products, including the iPhone and iPad.

In May of 2011, Apple’s Chengdu Foxconn Technology factory had an explosion that killed 4 workers and injured dozens of others in what was called an accident caused by aluminum dust used to polish iPads. It was reported the explosion was due to a faulty ventilation sysytem. The aluminum dust according to factory workers, was reportedly floating around the factory and they were covered in it while they worked. The 7 page Times article, written by Charles Duhigg and David Barboza, features interviews with current and past factory workers, as well as Apple executives on the unsafe conditions at various Apple factories in China. Problems at Apple factories in the East have been going on for quite some time as referenced in this 2006 Mail Online article.

While many of my friends and business associates own Apple products I never have. Not for any particular reason, other than I was happy with my simple flip phone and laptop. I will however, be looking forward to Apple’s response (if any), to the recent New York Times article.

*All photos & video ©The New York Times, IDG News Service, & Movie Prop Collectors.com