The dangerously lax culture of safety

Pakistan is among those unfortunate countries that ranks very low in terms of safety. Life is cheap as road and rail accidents, fire in factories, and collapse of building structures are common occurrence. Not a day passes when tragic accidents do not devour the lives of people and deprive families and friends of their loved ones. The recent crash of ATR 42, PIA flight, fire at the Plaza Crown hotel in Karachi, explosion and fire at Gadani shipbreaking yard, Baldia Town textile factory inferno that claimed the lives of 260 workers, and innumerable dying every day of road accidents and fires are only a few among the several serious incidents. According to Railways own statistics as many as 300 train accidents occurred during 2013 to November 2016. Then there are hundreds of accidents that go unreported. Apart from mortalities, thousands during the year suffer serious injuries that disable them for life. What is most troubling is that there is no effort by the government, opposition, parliament or the private sector to seriously address this problem and develop a culture of safety consciousness in the country! Surely, our leadership cannot continue to take refuge by merely issuing a message of condolence and refrain from taking serious corrective measures.



We also cannot overlook the reality that Pakistan is a developing country that has a large percentage of population that is illiterate, rural in outlook and not safety conscious. However, if the provincial governments and other state institutions, preferably in collaboration with civil society, undertake awareness campaign and take effective measures to enforce safety regulations much can be achieved.

It is a common sight to see some motorcyclists wearing helmets, or car drivers their seat belts, only to avoid being checked by police. Not realising that it is in their interest to do so. Taking legal action against safety defaulters combined with a media drive should go a long way in instilling discipline and conformity with rules and regulations. Government officials and influential persons instead of setting a personal example are the most common violators of safety. It is common for government functionaries including police officials to brazenly flout traffic signals and engage in rash driving. Moreover, government inspectors who are supposed to oversee implementation of safety rules in factories are found generally wanting in professional competence or are influenced by extraneous factors in their judgment. Certainly, this is a major shortcoming and sad reflection of poor governance.

Safety on roads and public places is a part of school curriculum in many countries and we need to adopt it at the national level as a compulsory subject.

Responsibility to enact safety measures and inculcating a culture lies not only with the government but also with institutions, industry and individuals. Most factory owners, construction firms and labor employees are not providing their workers safety garments and kits and making them work under extreme hazardous conditions. The crucial point is that higher standards of safety cannot be achieved without sustained and systematic effort. It would require strict enforcement of rules and regulations and wide scale publicity of benefits in safety.

With cities growing exponentially in a haphazard manner and getting densely populated safety is increasingly becoming a challenge. In Pakistan life especially of the poor is not valued and deaths due to accidents are taken casually and seldom inquiries determine the cause and apportion responsibility. No minister or head of the department in Pakistan has ever resigned or been removed on occurrence of a major accident. Only low-grade officers are held responsible and at best suspended for a while, or transferred, as eyewash.

China also has a high incidence of accidents especially in its antiquated coal mines and construction industry. But President Xi Jinping, ever since assuming office has taken stern measures against safety lapses and many high-ranking mandarins in government and industry have been sentenced for dereliction of duty.

Ensuring high safety standards and sustaining these require a disciplined workforce and strict enforcement of safety procedures. This would largely depend on the organisation’s leadership commitment towards safety management. My experience shows that once the leadership and workforce understand the value of safety its enforcement becomes relatively easy. In the nuclear and defence establishments Pakistan has been able to achieve international standards of safety. It is primarily the training and motivation that has contributed towards achieving that goal. But it is a constant struggle to maintain and excel the required standards. During my assignments as Chairman Pakistan Ordnance Factories Board and later as Secretary Defence Production safety of workers and that of the entire defence industrial infrastructure remained a top priority. Manufacture of propellants and explosives, operation of blast furnaces in foundry and brass mills or machining components of tanks, aircraft and guns demand extremely stringent standards of safety.

In Pakistan fire prone industrial units and several warehouses have been constructed without any consideration for safety. It is only in the last few months that innumerable cases of fire were reported from different warehouses in Karachi and Lahore. This shows corruption and neglect are widespread as safety standards are blatantly compromised. For after all several agencies of government are involved in giving clearance before any building is constructed or a factory is established.

Another disturbing factor is that victims of accidents have no insurance cover, which is financially ruinous for the families. It is the function of the government to ensure that airline, railway and public transport passengers are provided insurance cover against accidents.

Accidents are just as bad for the economy both at the personal and national level. The growing number of accidents apart from being a source of great sorrow and misery for family and friends has serious financial implications. Every accident has economic consequences that a poor country or its people can ill afford to bear. If calculated for their overall impact these would constitute a significant factor in influencing Pakistan’s GDP. Over a period of time awareness campaigns combined with retribution for neglect should contribute in reducing accidents.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th, 2016.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.