Lightbreeze Technologies and Systems each 3,000 sq . feet of the protected building area . Upon investigation , it was found that the factory was not following the standard and when the fire broke out , lack of fire extinguishers contributed heavily leading to more than 112 deaths .
SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE
Lightbreeze Technologies and Systems each 3,000 sq . feet of the protected building area . Upon investigation , it was found that the factory was not following the standard and when the fire broke out , lack of fire extinguishers contributed heavily leading to more than 112 deaths .
Raw material is kept in close proximity to the fire accident-prone area
“ It is another life-threatening practice being followed by the companies , shockingly , the top management does not step up to improve the situation even after getting reminded multiple times by us during factory audits .”
In most of the factories , it is observed that the raw material in a garment unit is kept in close proximity to the place which is already an accident prone area due to nearby electric panels . In case of short circuit , the fabric tends to catch fire quickly and
Fire Occurrence & Impact Scenario ( Bangladesh )*
Name of Company
Tazreen Fashion
Smart Fashion Export Factory
Tung Hai Sweaters Ltd .
Aswad Composite Mills Limited
Standard Group
Mega Yarn Dyeing Mills Limited
Date of Occurrence
24-Nov-12
26-Jan-13
8-May-13
8-Oct-13
Causes of Occurrence
The fire , presumably caused by a short circuit
There was a tire repair and welding workshop downstairs , so officials say that the fire could have started from this point
The fire , presumably caused by a short circuit
The cause of the blaze was not known
Total Workers
dodging all efforts , fire takes place and becomes dangerous in no time .
Workers ’ density is more than what is prescribed in standards
“ I visited a factory named National Apparel few months ago . I asked them how many workers will work in the factory before I start designing and commissioning the fire safety plan for that factory . They did not tell us . Without knowing the number of workers , nobody can provide a proper fire safety plan .”
One of the key parameters of building construction is the number of workers that would work there . However , that ’ s not the case in Bangladesh . Already running production in unauthorized buildings , the factories are packed with massive workforce and 80 % of whom are women . Also , there is lack of fire exit which toughens the
Deaths |
Injured |
Jobless |
Total Loss of |
|
|
|
the Company |
|
|
|
( Approximate ) |
1400 111 300 700 US $ 68 million
450 10 35 400 US $ 15 million
2700 08 03 0 US $ 24 million
2550 10 50 2000 US $ 26.9 million
29-Nov-13 Sabotage 25000 0 0 20000 US $ 23 million
28-Sep-14
The fire , presumably caused by a short circuit
500 01 04 0 US $ 7.56 million
Total 32,600 140 392 23,100 US $ 164 million
Dedicated towards providing one-stop electrical and fire-safety consultancy to the factories in Bangladesh , Lightbreeze Technologies & Systems was formed in 2014 . The technical division of the firm contains a total of 36 members who have an enormous experience in Architectural , MEP & FF & Green Building Consultancy and allied services . Lightbreeze is headed by Sukesh Ray , CEO of the company and provides fire detection and alarm , hydrant , sprinkler and safety systems to the garment manufacturing giants including Alim Knit ( BD ) Ltd ., Mondol Intimates Ltd ., Banga Garments Ltd . and Mark Sweater Ltd . since its inception in 2014 .
“ We have recently provided complete consultancy in more than 5 factories of Mondol Group and 15 factories at others . We implemented complete electrical fire safety there by introducing equipment such as fire alarm system , fire hydrant and sprinklers ,” comments Sukesh .
Sukesh further explains that the biglevel manufacturers have completely been inclined towards implementing the safety and compliance issues after the Rana Plaza incident and they are now interested to become fully compliant factories . “ Firstly , we provide consultancy , then we make planning , design , drawing and submit to Accord and Alliance for approval . After the approval , we go for supply and installation , then finally we make commissioning ,” elaborates Sukesh stating that the project duration is 3 to 6 months .
* Data is extracted from Loss and Damage Assessment in the Context of Fire Hazards : A Study on Selected Garment Factories in Bangladesh by Md . Mizanuzzaman , University of Dhaka , Bangladesh www . apparelresources . com | MAY 2018 | Apparel Online Bangladesh 51