A Chinese firm from Liaoning province faced outrage from their own employees and social media after forcing them to eat fire in a team-building exercise.
The company put flaming cotton buds in the employees' mouths and later defended them saying it could help overcome and increase their personal confidence, a stint usually seen in acrobatics. However, one of the employees, who worked for the company for less than a year, posted about the incident online in a post where she labeled it "unreasonable" and dangerous.
According to SCMP, the employee claimed that the team-building event was conducted for two days and comprised 60 participants who were divided into six groups. The idea was to prove the determination and willingness of the employees to achieve success. However, the said employee, feeling pressured to participate, found the event degrading. She further stated that although fire-eating is done by trained professionals, it can be dangerous and should not be done by people who are not trained.
Is it Okay to Eat Fires?
Now, fire-eating works by putting out the flame when the mouth closes quickly, cutting off the oxygen. That is why they have to breathe and time precisely. However, In a report by VICE, experts warn that this is dangerous if not done properly and with proper safety measures in place, and it is not advisable for anyone to try without proper training.
Looking ahead, the Chinese firm's employee is thinking of taking the company to court as the event was a violation of labor laws and her rights. According to Chinese law, the company may also be penalized for the unreasonable and illegal imposition of practices against workers.
Interestingly, fire-eating team-building activities are common in China, but many internet users have protested them as being a form of abuse. People see such an activity as some form of secret obedience test since one online commentator encouraged employees to protest against it.
The Chinese firm has not commented on the issue yet.
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