Image Credit: S. China News
After several employees at the Pegatron plant in Shanghai died, Apple is sending an independent medical expert to investigate, according to the South China News on December 13 local time. However, that plant also makes products for Sony and Dell, so there's no direct connection to Apple product production at this time, according to the report.
The SCN quoted an Apple representative: "While they have found no evidence of any link to working conditions there, we realise that is of little comfort to the families who have lost their loved ones. We have a team working with Pegatron at their facility to ensure that conditions meet our high standards."
A 15 year-old employee, who met the minimum age requirement set by Apple, died October 9 of pneumonia after having been found healthy in a pre-employment exam on September 5.
Apple, specifically, Tim Cook has continued to show a mindfulness of worker conditions in China, and, so an investigation by Apple is in order. Very little, however, is known right now about the causes of the deaths.