Wang Xuedong is unable to use chopsticks to eat, as he is losing control of his hands.

Wang, a 27-year-old worker in a private electronics firm in Foshan in South China's Guangdong Province, has been diagnosed with chronic hexane poisoning, which doctors say may lead to total loss of feeling.

"Since I came here half a year ago my job has been to wash circuit boards with chemical liquids," he claimed.

"The ventilation system at the plant is poor, and we don't wear any respirators," said Wang, adding all he had was a pair of gloves.

Wang's case is far from unusual. Because of poor working conditions and a lack of health and safety awareness among employees, the problem of occupational diseases in Guangdong is getting worse.

According to Yao Zhibing, director of the Guangdong Provincial Health Department, Guangdong is currently witnessing a period of high risk of occupational diseases.

"More than 5 million employees out of 20 million in the province's 420,000 factories are at risk of occupational diseases," Yao said.

According to Yao, the province reported a total of 14,047 cases of occupational diseases from 1989 to 2005.

"Occupational diseases, health problems caused by exposure to workplace health hazards, are taking an enormous toll both on human health and the economy in the province," Yao said in an interview with China Daily yesterday.

According to Yao, Guangdong is one of the major victims of occupational diseases, with an average 200 deaths each year since 1989.

The Ministry of Health says that across the nation 200 million people are at risk of occupational diseases.

Editor: Donald