German enterprise to help improve safety, health standards in factories

The German Federal Enterprise for International Cooperation (GIZ), in collaboration with the Bangladesh government, has taken an initiative to improve occupational safety and health standards in factories in the country.
GIZ, the international enterprise owned by the German federal government, has already inked a deal with the Health Ministry in this connection.
Under the two-year project from June 2014 till June 2016, GIZ will provide technical support to industries to obtain the Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Services (OHSAS) 18001 certification from the British Standard and Testing Institute governed by the Royal Charter of the UK.
A senior official of the GIZ told the FE they have already signed contracts with 10 industries which are interested and committed to improve health and safety environment of their factories and want to be role models for others by obtaining a certificate of excellence like OHSAS 18001.
"We will provide technical support free of cost to the interested and committed industries. Although initially our focus is readymade garment factories, we want to work with other export sectors like leather and shrimp," GIZ Senior Technical Advisor (Health Sector) Shaila Shahid said.
GIZ has come up with the initiative when several industrial accidents, especially in RMG sector, have drawn wide range of criticism across the globe on the working conditions in Bangladeshi factories and of workers here.
The OHSAS 18001 standard is internationally accepted as a method of assessing and auditing occupational health and safety management systems.
Developed by leading trade and international standards bodies, it provides a framework for organisations to instigate proper and effective management of health and safety in the workplace.
Ms Shaila said the OHSAS 18001 certification is a more comprehensive approach of assessing fire, building and electricity safety, earthquake, working environment of the factories and its impact on  workers' health, pollution and risky factors according to the guideline and standard mentioned in the OHSAS.
By having a clearly-defined management system in place to identify and control health and safety risks, organisations are able to minimise risks to their workforce and visitors or external contractors in their premises.
The standard will enable organisations to put in place processes for continually reviewing and improving occupational health and safety.
Key areas that will be assessed by OHSAS certification include management systems in place, planning and risk assessment, staff training and awareness, communication of safety management systems, response to emergency situations and monitoring and continual improvement.
Regarding the support of GIZ to the factories willing to be OHSAS 18001 certified ones, Ms Shaila said the organisation will help prepare the factories to obtain the certificate. For that purpose, GIZ will arrange an eight-day human resource training programme for factory representatives at GIZ premises. There will be two part of this training: orientation part and implementation and audit part.
Also GIZ will conduct a baseline survey on occupational health and safety environment, identify gaps, offside and onside visit, recommend necessary equipment and machinery for ensuring safety.
There will be a web-based knowledge portal for the Bangladeshi factories so that they can discuss and share their problems in that portal and seek help.
"Although the OHSAS certification is applicable for all types of factories, initially we recommend it for the category A factories which really want to improve their working condition and are committed for the wellbeing of the workers," said Ms Shaila.
The certification will have three years' validation for which a company has to spend US$ 11,000. The amount can be paid through installment.
 "We want to make it clear the companies seeking certification will have no financial involvement with GIZ. We have cooperation agreement with the government. They have to pay the amount to the audit firm," she added.
Regarding the process of selection of the companies, Ms Shaila said primarily GIZ is signing contract with those factories which are in some other networks of GIZ.
Sources said there are 1,000 category A factories under the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA).   
By setting up systems that are assessed by a third party certification body, organisations will prove to their staff, suppliers and customers that they take health and safety seriously.
OHSAS 18001 accreditation provides a framework to help organisations meet their legal obligations to health and safety in the workplace.
Ms Shaila said achieving a structured health and safety management system throughout the organisation will demonstrate the company's commitment to the welfare of its staff and external parties.
The development of a robust and manageable system will provide benefits to the organisation and its workforce. Cost savings and a reduction in accidents are just two of the many benefits, she added.