202 workers killed in workplace accidents in 2015’s first half
DHAKA, July 1 (NsNewsWire) — At least 202 workers died at workplace accidents in the country in last six months of 2015 (1 January to 30 June), says a survey report of Safety and Rights Society.
The survey report of the local development organization released on Wednesday showed that 202 workers died in 147 separate workplace accidents while in the same period of 2014, 158 workers died in 129 workplace accidents.
Safety and Rights Society is an NGO working for ensuring safety and rights of workers.
The survey is based on monitoring 26 daily newspapers (15 national and 11 regional newspapers) between January 1 and June 30 of 2015.
The report does not include deaths of workers outside the workplace or in road accident on the way to or return from workplaces.
The survey found that the highest number of workers (76) died whilst working on construction sites, factories (61) and service organisations (47) (like hotels, workshops, power supply organizations). In addition, 5 workers of Agriculture and 13 of Transport Sector were killed during this period.
Similar to the previous years the highest number of deaths involved electrocutions, with 49 deaths. Fire caused 29 deaths where 23 people died after being crushed through falling machinery or heavy load or hard objects. 19 workers died after falling from heights (i.e from scaffolds).
14 workers were killed in building, wall or roof collapses while 7 workers were suffocated to death by poisonous gas of septic or water tank.
The remaining workers died from various causes including boiler explosions, chemical and gas explosions, road accident, lightning stroke, drown in water as well as earthcollapses.
Sekender Ali Mina, Executive Director of Safety and Rights, said the actual number of the workplace deaths is almost certainly to be more than the numbers set out in the report as many workplace deaths are not reported in the newspapers.
He stressed the need for significantly greater effort on the parts of employers and owners to take measures to reduce the level of risks that workers suffer. He also called for state to initiate similar measures for all other sectors that Accord and Alliance have taken to garment sector.
The survey found that most of the electrocutions occurred when iron rods carried by construction workers came into contact with live electric lines passing near the under-construction buildings or when the workers were involved in construction work or worked as an electrician.
The report also noted that workers fall victim to electrocution, as they are not provided protective equipment like helmet, gloves, shoes etc at work. The main reason why workers fell from high places was due to poorly made scaffolds (macha) and lack of safety belt, catch- ropes and harnesses.
Safety and Rights Society proposed that there must be proper enforcement of the laws by regulatory bodies including RAJUK, and the Department of Inspection for Factories & Establishment. Employers should also establish health and safety policies for their respective organisations, put in place a safety plan before undertaking construction work, provide proper PPE (personal protective equipment) free of cost and ensure holding of a regular fire drill and health and safety training.