Workers' 9/11 in Pakistan: neglected sparks causing conflagration.
A deadly factory fire in Karachi, Pakistan caused the death of 289 workers on September 11, 2012. The havoc played by fire could have been avoided if the concerned authorities had better fire safety measures and strategy. This article presents an exploratory study designed to obtain first-hand information about this issue in which data were collected from 135 organizations within various industries of Pakistan. The results of this study are alarming because most of the organizations are not even equipped with basic fire safety equipment and are devoid of fire exit paths. Incompetence and negligence on the part of government agencies and many stakeholders frequently allows fire to play havoc with the lives of workers in Pakistani organizations, confirming the famous saying 'Parva saepe scintilla contempta magnum excitavit incendium' (A spark neglected has often raised a conflagration).
a Mohammad Ali Jinnah University , Pakistan.
Muhammad Zeeshan
MZ
Mirza
a Mohammad Ali Jinnah University , Pakistan.
Sajid
S
Bashir
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control; D005390:Fires / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D016272:Occupational Health; D010154:Pakistan
Pakistan; employee safety; fire; fire safety training; safety equipment