Programme to step up fire safety in garment units
Gulf Times
DHAKA: The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has launched a crash programme to create awareness on fire safety by conducting fire drills and fire-equipment inspections at 40 garment factories, inspectors reported yesterday.
Starting from 1.30pm, the inspectors split into ten teams under separate zones and inspected factories till 8pm on Saturday night.
The special awareness-building campaign on how to face fire started with moves
to equip some 4,200 garment factories across the country with the latest fire-fighting equipment.
Stung by the tragedy at the Chittagong KTS garment factory, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the apex body in the apparel sector, has started a crash course to disseminate information on extinguishing fire and ensuring safe evacuation in the event of fire.
Amid growing criticism from all quarters, including buyers, about lack of attention to safety rules and working conditions, the BGMEA has now taken to directly monitoring the programme through its safety and labour cell.
Sources in the BGMEA said a total of 21 additional staff members have been appointed on temporary basis to assist the existing BGMEA workforce in conducting the programme.
Of the newly appointed staff, seven are team leaders and the rest assistants. A total of 10 fire-safety teams have been formed to work in Dhaka, Savar, Gazipur and Narayanganj while two others will work in Chittagong.
The association earlier issued a circular asking all member-factories to depute one representative from the management and another from the workers to assist the safety teams.
BGMEA vice-president (finance) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury Arun told newsmen yesterday that the objective of the programme is to inform workers that fire needs time to spread and the workers have enough time to evacuate if they don’t scramble.
“Practical lessons are being provided by starting small fires and asking workers to exit the factory in a disciplined manner,†Arun said, describing the safety strategy.
“Stampedes caused by panic are the main reason behind deaths, rather than fire itself,†he said, adding that owners would also be trained simultaneously.
The BGMEA executive said they have already appointed a retired principal of the fire-service academy and some other retired Fire Brigade personnel to strengthen the safety teams.
He informed said the programme would continue for three months. “We may extend it for another three months if we fail to cover all the factories during the stipulated timeframe,†he said.
In 2001, BGMEA started similar fire drills. No deaths in fire or stampedes in the industrial units were reported in the following two years.
Meanwhile, the 10 monitoring teams formed earlier, each team led by a BGMEA director, will continue to work with the safety teams to ensure fire safety and deal with other compliance issues at the readymade garment units.
