Thrust on fire safety measures in RMG sector

The Bangladesh National Council (BNC) had recently organized a seminar on Fire Safety in RMG in Bangladesh'. The seminar included stakeholders, representatives of garment manufacturers and leaders representing various workers' organizations.

The stakeholders, while expressing their view at the seminar said that, garment owners and the workers in garment factories, both together are liable for numerous fire incidents in the RMG sector, as the owners are neglecting the implementation of essential fire safety measures, and the workers also do not have enough knowledge in this matter.

However, the speakers recommended that the workers should be properly trained and should also be provided operational training so as to secure both, life as well as property.

They highlighted that the workers are either unaware of or careless in using safety devices like mask, head scarf and gloves, which is one of the main causes that leads to fire accidents in RMG units. But then it should also be noted that, majority of the garment owners have still not installed fire safety devices like fire extinguishers in their factories.

Further they also noted that, the garment owners are not conducting any awareness programmes for the workers, neither have appointed any electrical engineers for fire safety purpose in their units.

Of the total 4,800 units in the sector, there are only few units which have taken proper measures like installation of required facilities and acquainting the workers regarding their safety by giving proper instructions, the speakers added.