On September 9th, it was reported online that a team leader at the Ningde Times Yibin Base had prohibited frontline employees from using the restroom, which resulted in an employee losing control and running naked in the workshop. The incident quickly became a hot topic on Weibo, ranking first in the trending list.
A viral video showed a man walking naked in the workshop, while several employees wearing blue jumpsuits hurried to avoid him. The caption indicated that the team leader at the Ningde Times Yibin Base had forbidden employees from using the restroom, leading to one employee having an accident in his pants, losing emotional control, running naked, and even throwing feces.
Netizens criticized the situation, calling the restriction on restroom use “unreasonable,” “outrageous,” and stating that it reflects a bleak future for the children of the lower class. People described the incident as a lack of morals in the modern era.
According to Qianjiang Video News, the Ningde Times Yibin Base usually refers to the battery production base of Sichuan Times, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ningde Times in Sanjiang New District, Yibin City. A staff member of the company mentioned that the individuals involved in the video are not employees of their company.
The official response from Ningde Times to Interface News stated that the incident did not occur at their base, and the Yibin Base had reported the incident to the police, with law enforcement now involved in the investigation.
Additionally, according to chat screenshots shared by a mainland China automobile blogger, the incident took place at another battery manufacturer’s “Jiashan Base” around the end of August. The incident was sparked by a disagreement as leaders did not approve the resignation process, although the company’s name was not disclosed in the conversation.
As of now, there have been no official information releases regarding the incident.
Incidents like these are not isolated cases in mainland China. In February 2025, the Aisida Electronics Factory in Bao’an District, Shenzhen, was exposed by resigning employees for implementing strict restroom regulations, causing public outrage. According to the revelations, the factory demanded a 12-hour workday with only two restroom breaks allowed every 4 hours, limited to 7 minutes each time, and only allowing up to 2 people to go at once. Moreover, employees had to carry a green “off-duty permit” to use the restroom and could only go after the previous person returned and handed over the certificate.
On February 11, 2025, the Sanxiang Mechanical Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in Shunde District, Foshan, issued a document titled “Restroom Management Regulations,” which stipulated that employees were not allowed more than 2 minutes for restroom breaks and restricted restroom use during certain periods. Violators would face a fine of 100 RMB (deducted from the monthly salary).
Furthermore, some netizens revealed that many factories have similar practices. They suggested checking job recruitment groups to find more examples and expressed sympathy for the plight of these employees, who sometimes face strict rules and penalties for restroom use, leading to absenteeism or lateness.