592 die on duty in 2018: Study

At least 592 employees died in 484 workplace accidents across the country in 2018, according to a report launched on Wednesday.
The highest number of deaths-31 per cent or 184 -- was recorded on construction sites followed by 29 per cent or 170 in the transport sector.
The report revealed that 113 deaths were recorded in workplaces like hotel, workshop and power supply.
At least 63 were killed in manufacturing sectors, including garment, plastic, ship-breaking, steel and re-rolling mills while 62 were agricultural workers.
In 2017 alone, according to the report, at least 437 deaths were recorded in 324 workplace accidents.
Safety and Rights Society (SRS), a non-governmental organisation, made the statement based on reports run in 26 dailies since January 01 to December 31.
The report did not include deaths of workers outside workplace or in road accidents on their way to or return from workstations.
The SRS recorded in this survey the deaths of on-duty workers who were killed in road accidents.
After analysing the reasons for workplace accidents, the survey found that electrocution killed 96 workers while 79 workers died after falling from heights.
About 68 workers died being crushed by falling machinery or heavy load or hard objects, according to the findings.
Sixty agriculture workers died in lightning strikes and 28 in earth or hill collapses.
Twenty-five workers were suffocated to death by poisonous gas in septic or water tanks, 22 killed in building, wall or roof collapses and 20 in boiler, cylinder or chemical explosions.
Fire caused death to 11 workers while four workers drowned in water and the remaining three workers died being poured by hot liquid iron.
SRS executive director Sekender Ali Mina said suffocation or electrocution was the reason for most workplace hazards which could be avoided by preventive measures taken by both workers and employers.
He highlighted the need for awareness among workers and employers to reduce the number and casualties of workplace accidents significantly.
Mr Mina, however, said the actual number of workplace deaths is more than the figures shown in the survey.
Even all the workplace accidents were not reported in the newspapers, he mentioned.
The report said many fell victim for not having protective gear at work, on poorly
made scaffolds, at unauthorised boilers, for discounting driving rules or lacking fire safety management.
The SRS urged the government to take measures to strictly enforce the law of the land to prevent accidents.
It also recommended that health and safety committee be formed at each factory to monitor the issues and a sectoral safety law be enacted.

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