Calling for further improvement in measures taken for fire safety in Bangladesh’s garment factories, a US-based organisation National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has cited several short-term and long-term recommendations to pave the way for sustainable electrical, fire and life safety in the apparel units.
Alliance – a platform of 28 North American retailers for factory inspection – had approached NFPA and the University of Maryland to give an independent review of the factory upgrade programme, developed to create a healthier and safer work environment for those employed in garment factories across Bangladesh.
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The platform had segregated a list of 14 factories in Dhaka that are undergoing remediation at present, and arranged for the project team to visit the sites, observe building operations and interview key stakeholders in the building industry. Accordingly, NFPA made certain suggestions for the Alliance, government officials and other stakeholders to consider in their attempts to improve the situation.
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After the Alliance’s timeframe to find solution to this ongoing problem expires, the responsibility of remediation, training and other suggested methods for improvement will depend on all the stakeholders of Bangladeshi garment industry, NFPA said in its assessment report.
Alliance has been working hard to meet its goal to create a safe environment for workers in Bangladesh’s factories, and its results-oriented process has helped make progress within the industry, said Don Bliss, NFPA’s vice-president for field operations. “Their work clearly aligns with our global mission of helping to save lives and eliminate loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards,” he added.
“We believe that improving worker safety in Bangladesh’s factories is a moral imperative, and we have made great progress over the last three years in improving factory safety and empowering workers,” said Ellen Tauscher, independent chairwoman of the Alliance.
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This has led to a dramatic reduction in the number of fires and fire-related deaths in factories between 2012 and 2015, she said. Formed in 1896 by a group of insurance firms, NFPA is now a trade association that creates codes and standards to minimise the risks and effects of fire.
