24 firms lauded for superlative health, safety standards

The government yesterday awarded 24 companies in the apparel, finished leather, jute, pharmaceutical and tea sectors for maintaining consistently high safety and health standards in the irrespective factories.

The recipients of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) awards are: Plummy Fashions, Wisdom Attires, Nafisa Apparels, Mother Colour, Fatullah Apparels, Comfit Composit Knit, Layla Styles, Epyllon Styles, Ecofab, Ananta Garments and Crown Wears.

Zaber & Zubaer Fabrics, Square Pharmaceuticals, Beximco Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi Bangladesh, Maf Shoes, Apex Footwear, Picard Bangladesh, Zareen Plantation, Shumshernugger Tea Estate, Janata Jute Mills, Wahab Jute Mills and Northern Jute Manufacturing Company are the other beneficiaries.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi and State Minister for Labour and Employment Munnujan Sufian handed over the awards to the companies’ representatives at the Krishibid Institute Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Globally, an estimated 2.78 million workers die each year as a result of occupational accidents or work-related diseases, according to a statement from the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Additionally, some 374 million non-fatal work-related injuries occur each year all over the world. But most of the deaths and accidents are preventable.

With a view to creating awareness about the prevention of casualties at work, the ILO introduced the World Safety Day (April 28) in 2003.

In Bangladesh, April 28 is marked as the National OSH Day from 2016 under the auspices of ILO’s garment programme launched in 2013 to improve working conditions in the industry.

“Occupational safety and health must be our common and collaborative goal. It is important to look after our workers,” Munshi said.

Tuomo Poutiainen, country director of ILO in Bangladesh, commended the Bangladesh government, the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, and other agencies for their collective efforts to establish a culture of workplace safety in Bangladesh.

“The garment industry of Bangladesh increasingly has the know-how to safeguard its workers from industrial accidents and poor working conditions. It is now time to apply these lessons to all industries,” Poutiainen said.

At the event, the ILO received a special award from the government in recognition of its 100 years of service in promoting social justice and decent work.