Factories and construction sites: 10 basic safety procedures not followed
Report states workers do not wear protective gear because they consider them a hindrance in their work.
LAHORE:
Safety procedures are rarely followed at factories and construction sites in Pakistan, according to a study presented by Pakistani researchers at the First International Conference on Construction in Developing Countries arranged by USAID in 2009 in Karachi.
The study states that the top 10 safety practices not adhered to are: wearing ear defenders while using noisy equipment; wearing protective footwear; wearing face masks in dusty conditions; guardrails on working scaffold platforms; wearing safety helmets; wearing gloves while handling materials with sharp edges, which are hot or could cause skin problems; covered or guarded openings; wearing goggles or other eye protectors when using motorised cutting equipment, welding and cartridge operated tools; extraction of nails from timber lying around; and proper storage of tools and small machinery.
The report also states that workers are either unaware of the importance of personal safety practices or they do not wear protective gear because they consider them a hindrance in their work. Most site managements do not emphasise the importance of safety, and do not have training programmes or safety meetings in which hazards are pointed out.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 13th, 2012.
Safety procedures are rarely followed at factories and construction sites in Pakistan, according to a study presented by Pakistani researchers at the First International Conference on Construction in Developing Countries arranged by USAID in 2009 in Karachi.
The study states that the top 10 safety practices not adhered to are: wearing ear defenders while using noisy equipment; wearing protective footwear; wearing face masks in dusty conditions; guardrails on working scaffold platforms; wearing safety helmets; wearing gloves while handling materials with sharp edges, which are hot or could cause skin problems; covered or guarded openings; wearing goggles or other eye protectors when using motorised cutting equipment, welding and cartridge operated tools; extraction of nails from timber lying around; and proper storage of tools and small machinery.
The report also states that workers are either unaware of the importance of personal safety practices or they do not wear protective gear because they consider them a hindrance in their work. Most site managements do not emphasise the importance of safety, and do not have training programmes or safety meetings in which hazards are pointed out.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 13th, 2012.