Such warehouses or commercial ventures have little or no safety measures
KARACHI: On September 20th a blast was heard in the vicinity of Nursery, Sharea Faisal. The blast, which then led to the outbreak of a fire, occurred in a factory godown where chemicals used in manufacturing cosmetics were stored. It also caused damage to nearby buildings.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred in Karachi. Numerous industrial units continue to operate in congested, residential areas across the city. In fact, restaurants and cafes too are opened in shops right below residential projects and have reportedly resulted in similar incidents.
On the other hand, such warehouses or commercial ventures have little or no safety measures. Hence, the likelihood of damage and fatalities doubles, primarily due to their location. Resultantly, carrying out a rescue mission becomes difficult as streets are narrow with closely aligned buildings.
To counter this, the labour safety and protection laws should be implemented throughout Pakistan and provision of protection and work place security for workers must be ensured.
Amna Sattar
Published in The Express Tribune, September 22nd, 2017.
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