Raise safety awareness in construction sector

Labourers, contractors and building-owners should change their mindset about safety in the construction sector to ensure a safe and sound workplace, said experts.

“Construction workers in Bangladesh are largely ignored. Except for a handful of big companies, no one pays heed to the safety of these workers,” said Nizamuddin Ahmed, an architect, at a roundtable at the Delta Life Tower in Dhaka on Saturday.

“Many companies are not willing to provide safety equipment to workers.”

He spoke at the roundtable on “Improving Safety in Construction Sector” organised by LafargeHolcim Bangladesh.

While presenting a keynote, Ahmed said accidents are taking place in the construction sector largely owing to ignorance and lack of regulations.

“Accidents are followed by blame games between owners and workers and this blame game has emerged as a culture, which we must end with a view to finding a solution,” he added.

Ahmed, also a former professor of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, said awareness should be raised among all to avoid casualties. The government should also take necessary steps to create a safe environment, he said.

Saki Rezwana, chairperson of the Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation, said there is a lack of awareness among labourers, contractors and building-owners about using safety instruments.

Rajesh K Surana, managing director of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh, said safety can save a company. “If safety is ensured, it creates enormous values for the company.”

Tauhidul Islam, project manager of the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), said the safety situation in the construction sector is truly horrible.

“Time has come to work together to ensure the safety in the construction sector and other workplaces as well.”

Tahsina Banu, country head of international, commercial banking of HSBC Bangladesh, said all the stakeholders of the construction sector should come forward to ensure safety like it happened in the garment sector.

She said the garment sector is now fully aware of the safety issue because buyers want to see a factory safe.

Jasim Uddin Ahmed, head of technical project of BSRM, a steel manufacturer, said people are causing air and sound pollution at construction sites. “We should be aware about the pollution as it is a silent killer.”

He said everyone should be concerned about their own as well as their neighbours' safety.

Ghulam Rasool, managing director of Asset Developments & Holdings Ltd, said labourers do not want to wear boots until they are compelled.

He said there should be a regulatory body to monitor the safety issue in the construction sector.

Kazi Mizanur Rahman, director for legal and corporate affairs at LafargeHolcim Bangladesh; Eung Rae Kim, industrial director; Mohammed Arif Bhuiyan, director for procurement and logistics; M Asif Bhuiyan, director for marketing and commercial, and Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhury, chief financial officer, were also present.