In
Bangladesh, 75%
of the total export
is accounted for
by the garment
industry comprising
more than 4,000
factories and
over 2 million
employees. In
the past, a number
of fire accidents
in garment factories
have left many
workers dead.
Anwar-Ul-Alam
Chowdhury (Parvez)
President, BGMEA
for the session
of 2007-2008,
informs ET that
his organization
has taken a crash
program to prepare
garment factories
for taking up
measures to reduce
the likelihood
of fire accidents
and properly deal
with fire, should
such an accident
arise. The interview
is a follow-up
to the April 2007
lead story, Combating
Fire.
ET: In the past
few years we have
seen quite a few
fire accidents
in the garment
sector. There
was also the case
of one factory
collapsing. What
has been the response
of your organization
in this regard?
Anwar-Ul-Alam
Chowdhury (AC):
In the history
of the garments
industry there
has been only
one instance of
building collapse
namely "SPECTRUM",
which was under
construction.
However after
the tragic incident
at Spectrum Industry
Ltd the new challenge
for Bangladesh
Garment Manufacturers
and Exporters
Association (BGMEA)
is to ensure building
compliance. BGMEA
has already taken
the initiative
not to approve
membership of
any new factory
unless it submits
the building plan
from the relevant
authority. BGMEA
has also created
a cell with engineers
to monitor the
existing factories.
In recent years
especially after
the BGMEA crash
program in 2006
you will note
that the number
of fire incidents
has been reduced
remarkably. In
most accidental
fire incidents
nowadays there
are hardly any
casualties because
of the steps taken
by the BGMEA safety
cell, which provides
awareness and
training to factories
and also conducts
drills in factories.
It may be noted
that BGMEA has
made it mandatory
for all factories
to have alternate
staircase or else
their membership
may be cancelled
or kept in abeyance
until rectification
is made.
ET: Please tell
us more about
this safety cell.
AC: The safety
cell is operated
by a set of experienced
retired officials
from the Directorate
of Fire Service
and Civil Defense
and 19 trained
monitors. The
main activities
of the safety
cell are:
a) To inspect,
monitor and implement
safety measures
in the garment
factories and
conduct drills
through the safety
monitors.
b) To visit the
Ready Made Garment
(RMG) units, fill
up checklist regarding
fire safety and
conduct Fire Evacuation
Drill.
c) To raise awareness
of safety measures
among the managements
and workers.
d) To impart knowledge
about how to use
firefighting equipment,
how to safely
evacuate during
fire and other
accidents and
how to provide
first aid to the
injured worker
while practical
demonstration
of extinguishing
fire is shown
to the officials/staff
of garment factories.
e) To distribute
guide books, posters
and leaflets to
the factories.
f) To make the
garment factories
compliant as per
International
Standards under
the Compliance
Cell of BGMEA,
give suggestions
on workplace improvement
plans and monitor
call compliance
issues in the
scheduled garment
factories.
g) To impart training
by the Deputy
Secretary (Training)
or Senior Executive
(Training) on
fire prevention,
fire extinction,
first aid and
rescue to the
officials/Staff
of RMG units 5
days a week.
There is an "Emergency
Pool" of
the safety cell,
which rushes to
the spot instantly
during an outbreak
of fire and provides
assistance to
the victims. The
cell also deals
with compensation
cases resulting
from fire deaths.
As already mentioned
it is part of
the job of the
fire safety team
of BGMEA to conduct
drills in various
garment units
and the team has
been doing so
since 1997. However
you would appreciate
the fact that
migration takes
place, new workers
come in and all
this needs regular
monitoring. Hence,
factories are
advised to conduct
drills preferably
once a month or
at least quarterly.
ET: Could you
elaborate on the
steps you have
taken so far to
prevent fire attacks
in your member
factories?
AC: After the
incident at KTS
in Chittagong
on 23 February
2006, BGMEA came
up with a crash
program for all
garment units.
In addition to
the existing 19
people working
in the safety
team of BGMEA
in various factories,
23 people were
recruited for
the crash program
to monitor all
the garment factories
over a period
of 6 months. They
provided training
on fire prevention
procedures and
conducted drills
in all the factories.
10 teams were
allocated for
Dhaka and 3 for
Chittagong. Each
team consisted
of 4 members.
The activities
under the crash
program are:
1. The employers/workers
of the factories
are given short
briefing on Fire
Prevention, First
Aid and Safe Evacuation.
2. All safety
related information
is being collected
through a Checklist.
3. Factory managements
are given necessary
suggestions for
up-gradation of
safety standard
where it is necessary.
4. The managements
are requested
to keep proper
Fire Extinguishers
in all the floors
of the factory
as per the rules
of the country.
5. Every factory
is advised to
form Firefighting,
First Aid and
Safe Evacuation
and Rescue Team.
6. Practical demonstration
on Firefighting
is organized with
the workers and
employees of the
factories. |
