Pakistani industrialists, mostly in the small and medium enterprises sector, usually do not give intense consideration to issues of occupational safety of workers, as well as the working place. This reflects a myopic approach that substantially puts the working environment in a damaging position. Moreover, the lack of proper layout of machinery, work stations and movement of logistics has created a difficult situation in the operations of industrial units. The Baldia Town inferno at SITE is a disturbing manifestation of what has been stated above.
Although the responsibility lies with the management of the factory, it is pertinent to mention that this particular unit was a victim of goods pilferage by workers, of threats by extortionists and the reliance on overtime due to time constraints (primarily due to power and gas shortages and frequent days off).
However, this does not absolve the factory management from all responsibility. A professional security expert should have planned a workable security system that should have been exclusive for that unit. Unfortunately, industrialists tend to ignore such investments and also tend to cut corners in achieving their production targets.
Karachi has seven industrial estates where about 10,000 industries are based. Moreover, there are at least 50,000 cottage and small industries in the informal sector that are based in residential areas. Many factories are like cauldrons waiting for their contents to overflow. It is also important to state that corruption, lax conformation of safety rules and regulations, ill-planned units, usage of shoddy material, etc. are prime reasons for such incidents.
The government agencies, whose role is to inspect industrial units, advise on the conditionalities of the rules, regulations, and statutory laws, and ensure strict compliance of the same have used these to pressure industrialists. The civil defence officials are least concerned with the fire safety measures and equipment installed in industries and, instead, are more keen to promote the sales of such equipment peddled by their own companies or supplied by companies that offer commissions to these officers. The labour inspectors usually sit in the director’s room, insert casual ‘warnings’ over innocuous violations, have tea and biscuits, collect their pound of flesh and vanish to prey on the next victim. The officials of SITE Ltd suffer from the ‘money makes the world go round’ syndrome. Every task here has a prescribed ‘price’. One has to pay to carry out every legal and not-so-legal activity.
The calamity may have a negative impact on Pakistan’s image in the global export market. There would be clarion calls from Western buyers for an immediate revisit of safety systems in industrial units that supply goods to them. Damage control measures are required on the part of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and from the prime minister so that this incident does not hurt our exports. Business associations and community-based organisations must create a fund to address the needs of the families of the over 300 victims. Citizens and workers have to play a decisive role in ensuring that sanity prevails in workplaces. Everyone is equally responsible.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 15th, 2012.
COMMENTS (16)
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I wonder if SITE Association could play its role in asking its members to do the needful!
I first of all pray to "All Mighty Allah" for the blessing and forgiveness to innocent workers who were the assets of any industry and the loss of life has no match to any compensation,still the more we help the immediate dependents of the victims they may sustain their remaining life with some what sound lively hood in their day to day affairs so all those who are blessed must come forth generously to support them by all means I am also the owner of a garment factory and also WRAP certified since last so many years it is unbelievable that factory Certified by independent accredited 3 rd party certifying body can do such a blunder of approving the factory with a major non compliance of Exit gates, as per media hype,my opinion in this incidence there is a secret behind the scene and this incidence will also end up with no outcome or any findings because the solution to this incident is the accountability across the board and stern action no matter even hang to death, starting from top who will be the only hurdle in this solution, and to save the top brass all the knights may sacrifice which is the past history of this country,as seen the foul political play on the dead bodies by all the political players.
The entire responsibility of killing of factory workers lies on the shoulders of owners and then on the government departments.
Pooling money cannot bring back dead factory workers.
The industrialist who are rich and mighty must know that they only earn money and profits when the poor and needy workers work for them day and night on meager salary.
I doubt that the developed nations may discontinue to import products from Pakistan due to precious human lives of the factory workers.
2.Use these collective bargaining rights to have better health and safety measures and pressurize owners and law makers to put in place checks that will prevent such accidents in the future.1.
We have all seen the "video footage" shot by the numerous cameras installed inside the factory and read about the "electronic" gate system which went into lock mode. Then how is it that the owners who could spend so much money on electronic surveillance systems failed to install fire extinguishers or train their people on basics of disaster management? Factory was involved in manufacturing of 'garments', an inflammable material, owners are to be blamed for gross negligence.
good essay
The government Institutions have become dysfunctional. and there was a total failure from their part to inspect the factory .When did the fire extinguisher engines arrive?.how many came and once they exhausted their water supply they had to go away for an hour to fill up. What about the medical aid for burns facilities at Jinnah,Civil and Abbasi Shaheen hospitals---can they handle such incidence Yes, of-course the owners cannot shy away from their share of responsibility but give them an opportunity.Be it as it may,this was a sad ,in fact very sad incidence and families of those who lost their lives have to be compensated
One important thing to mention is that on average 300 people dies in karachi per month. So why people are protesting when they don't protest on target killings. Similarly same amount of people are killed in balochistan and KPK every month. I just can't understand that the nation which keeps on sleeping on the killings of so many people every month suddenly wakes up against the factory fire and probably for 3 or 4 days.
Many of the industrialist especially from S.I.T.E Karachi believe that the burning fire incident was not as simple as it has been being portrayed. There was some criminal hand involve behind the terrible fire. e.g Beside all those criminal negligence mentioned in the column ,
1). Rs 1 crore were asked in extortion few days back. 2). Knowing that there were more than 300 people in the factory but still no wall was broken to take out victims . 3). Fire extinguishers coming late.
and the most important part was that there were messages around Karachi especially on 11 and 10 September that there will be some drastic situation in Karachi to promote or to cancel out strike on 13th sept.
Why is it pertinent to mention that "this particular unit was a victim of goods pilferage by workers, of threats by extortionists?" The author just states this but does not tells why is he talking about pilferage and extortions when he talks about fixing the responsibility! Pilferage and extortions are everywhere, so what?
The whole article is jumping from one place to another without any direction and argumentative purpose.
I cannot believe that somebody has the nerve to write such an Op Ed so close to one of the worst industrial accident in the world history. It shows lack of care about the humans that are making these industrialists rich and powerful. It says: "the responsibility lies with the management of the factory, it is pertinent to mention that this particular unit was a victim of goods pilferage by workers, of threats by extortionists and the reliance on overtime" Workers are servants not the choosers in these factories. Unless there is an independent and working union workers have no say in all safety matters. It must be real painful that the fingers are already pointed toward the victims. The Op Ed also says: "The calamity may have a negative impact on Pakistan’s image in the global export market. There would be clarion calls from Western buyers for an immediate revisit of safety systems in industrial units that supply goods to them. Damage control measures are required" All the writer can think of how his money making would be stalled. I am happy that Pakistan would not do anything for the safety of workers but the foreign buyers must come to their rescue. All export must be frozen till such factories pass the inspection of the buyers. In the meantime the victim's families be properly compensated right away. This is the min we can do for the victims and their families.
Makes sense. However, it seems like you went too easy on the factory owners.
Yep! The owners and mangers are never to blame fully, there is always an excuse to offer them. State policy has been bending over backwards to facilitate urban industrialist for decades and they probably believe that they poor are poor because they dont work hard enough!! It was under pressure from the same industrialists and chamber of commerces that provincial governments passed legislation bringing to a halt all workplace inspections starting with Punjab in 2003 and then later followed in Sind. So no, we are not "equally responsible" it is not the common citizenry responsibility to go around insuring that the rich meet their responsibilities!