Sensitise about Structural and Chemical Safety

Sensitise about Structural and Chemical Safety       60 Min

Introduce session and explain about chemical safety issues at workplace and their safe uses.

Handling chemical substances without proper protection exposes the worker to the risk of absorbing harmful amounts of chemical through the skin. Eyes may also absorb chemical substances, either from splashes or from vapours. Dangerous chemicals can enter the body through ingestion as gases, dusts, vapours, fumes, liquids or solids. Whatever the route of entry, chemicals can reach the blood stream and be distributed all over the body. In this way damage can be caused at the site of entry as well as to organs distant from the exposed area. There may also be safety issues that may poison our environment, lead to accidents like fire and in overall put people’s health at risk. Structural safety issues such building collapse due to poor structures and poor maintenances may put lives in danger and can causes property loss.

Ask the trainees if they are aware about factory building collapsing accidents of recent times in the country. Ask trainees about The Rana Plaza incident: What went wrong?

Point out:

·         Non-authorised building.

·         Lack of construction standards and enforcement:  Building was built for commercial activities, not for industry use. The building could not take the heavy load of machinery and generators.

·         Additional 4 floors built (above original permit)

·         Substandard construction material, leading to weak structure and aggravated vibration of generators, cracks in walls.

·         Building owner and inspectors ignored warnings.

·         Overcrowding: density leading to over 1130 deaths, 2500 non-fatal injuries

·         Since the incidence, there is significantly more demands from the buyers on construction and workplace safety compliance in garment sector.