Garment factory fire: ILO for better protection of workers' health, safety

Labour organisation calls for national action to protect workers from workplace hazards.

GENEVA: Following news of the deaths of 258 workers after a massive blaze engulfed the factory they were working in, the the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has called for national action to protect workers’ health and safety.

In a statement from thePakistanhead of ILO’s safe work programme, the labour organisation underlined the need for concrete action to prevent such tragedies. “We were shocked by the news we heard that well over 200 workers were killed in a factory fire today. Protection of workers’ safety and health is a fundamental human right. We need to reinforce measures to protect workers’ lives from hazards in the workplace. We would like to call for national action to improve the protection of all workers,” the statement signed by Seiji Machida read.

“Almost 20 years after the tragedy inThailand, we still see similar disasters. The risk of death or injuries from fire hazards in the workplace, continue to be an important issue,” it said, referring to the 1993 blaze in Thai toy factory where 188 workers, mostly female, were killed.

“I would like to call for the strengthening of legal and other supporting measures to improve workplace safety and health in all countries, particularly in developing countries. We call for action to realise decent work must be safe work for all,”Machida’s statement added.