Lack of workplace safety a constant threat to workers’ lives, seminar told
KARACHI: Occupational safety and health (OSH) at workplaces was the focus of a seminar titled ‘The Crisis, Workers’ Struggle and the Way Forward’ organised by the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) at the Karachi Press Club on Thursday — held on the eve of the 14th anniversary of the Baldia Town factory fire, in which 260 workers were killed and dozens injured. The seminar began with a…
A seminar in Karachi highlighted the constant threat to workers' lives due to inadequate workplace safety. The event, held on the anniversary of the 2012 Baldia Town factory fire, which killed 260 workers, began with a minute's silence for recent infant fatalities at a healthcare center nursery. Nasir Mansoor of the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) stated that globally, three million people lose their lives annually at their workplaces, with similar dangers present in Pakistan's industrial units, mines, and shipbreaking yards.
Recurring fires, machinery accidents, exposure to toxic chemicals, and inadequate ventilation were cited as examples of unsafe conditions. Aqib Hussain of the J&P Coats Workers Union emphasized that the Ali Enterprises fire was not an isolated incident, with many more occurring since. Bashir Mehmoodani of the Gadani Shipbreaking Workers Union stressed that the 2016 shipbreaking disaster's conditions remain unchanged.
Shakil Awan of the Pakistan Railway Workers Union noted that politicians' concern for worker safety often stops at paperwork. Zehra Khan of the Home-Based Women Workers Federation highlighted that while Sept. 11 was declared Occupational Safety and Health Day in Pakistan, it remained just another day without deeper commitment. She criticized factory owners for prioritizing profits over workers' safety and called for the implementation of international mechanisms such as the Pakistan Accord, Global Framework Agreements, and the European Union's due diligence framework to protect workers' rights and safety.
The Pakistan Accord focuses on independent factory safety inspections, remediation of shortcomings, transparency, and grievance mechanisms for workers. Global Framework Agreements are agreements between multinational companies and global trade unions that establish international standards on trade union rights, collective bargaining, occupational health, and safety.
M. Jameel of the Baldia Factory Fire Victims Association described the 2012 factory tragedy as a preventable industrial crime and called for strict enforcement of safety laws to prevent future fatalities.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
