Safety of workers
I RECENTLY witnessed gross violations of occupational safety rules on main Sunset Boulevard, Karachi. The two workers worked on a billboard located at the Defence Central Library for three consecutive days.
They were welding the air gaps in the billboard. Without a safety harness, they hung on to their dear lives, some 40 to 50 feet above the ground.
Moreover, the rope they had was conveniently used to carry their equipment to the height, instead of holding them. Watching them hanging with one limb and working with the other was terrifying.
The advertisement company, which was responsible for safety turned a bind eye. So did the DHA on whose property this billboard was erected.
Unfortunately, safety precautions for labourers are a luxury in Pakistan. While the laws exist, they are rarely implemented.
Employers are rarely bothered about providing a safety harness or ropes for protection from a fall. They probably consider safety equipment wasteful overheads.
Providing compensation to an injured worker may be more convenient since the cost of life and limb is cheap in Pakistan.
Strict criminal action should be taken against all such employers and advertisement companies managing billboards all over the city.
The government and law-enforcement agencies should provide a contact number where violations of occupational safety can be reported.
Safety is the primary right of every worker. We do not want any more disasters like the Baldia factory fire.
DR JAHANZEB EFFENDI
Founder, First Response Initiative of Pakistan
Karachi
A possible approach: first, let there be a toll-free call centre number that is easily reachable. The complaint is to be properly logged, including the location and description of how the occupational safety laws are being neglected. An inspector reaches the site as soon as possible. Upon verification, supported by photographs or other other media, the company responsible for the contract is fined. The fine may be based on the category of violation and the number of people potentially in harm’s way.
To make this work, seventy-five percent of the fine thus collected goes to the government and ten percent each is given to the inspector and the original caller, as bonus and reward respectively. The balance five person goes as bonus to the call centre who took the original call. The payout the reward must be prompt, while the payout of the bonuses must be accumulated as salary.
I suggest this in broad strokes only and leave the details to specialists.
Dr Sahab, this is pakistan where human being has less value than animals. The animals here are not killed the way people are killed here.