Man dies after working for 100 days without rest

A 30-year-old Kenyan painter named A’bao has tragically passed away from multiple organ failure after working for 100 consecutive days without a proper rest.

Reports say A’bao developed a severe lung infection, which eventually led to his death in June 2023. Between February and May 2023, A’bao worked every single day, with only one day off on April 6th. His health began to decline after he took a sick day on May 25th to rest.

On May 28th, his condition worsened rapidly, and his colleagues rushed him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a pneumococcal infection and respiratory failure. Sadly, he died on June 1st.

Following his death, A’bao’s family sued his employer for gross negligence, arguing that the heavy workload led to his untimely death. The company, however, claimed that A’bao’s working hours were reasonable and that any extra work he did was voluntary.

The Zhoushan Intermediate People’s Court found the employer 20% responsible for A’bao’s death. The court ruled that the company’s failure to follow Chinese labor laws, which limit work to eight hours a day and a maximum of 44 hours per week, contributed to his death. As a result, the court awarded A’bao’s family KSh 8.1 million in compensation, along with KSh 202,000 for emotional distress.