ILO: Better Work Indonesia helps to stamp out fire risks in partner factories
When a fire tore through a footwear factory in Jakarta in 2010, four people died. They became trapped between the flames and a locked emergency exit. In Bangladesh, locked emergency exits were partly to blame for 112 fatalities during a massive garment factory fire in 2012.
JAKARTA (ILO News): When a fire tore through a footwear factory in Jakarta in 2010, four people died. They became trapped between the flames and a locked emergency exit. In Bangladesh, locked emergency exits were partly to blame for 112 fatalities during a massive garment factory fire in 2012.
Locked doors, poor safety equipment and human error can mean the difference between life and death. Garment factories in Indonesia working with ILO’s Better Work Indonesia programme are putting fire prevention in the spotlight during April.
“It’s a hot topic for garment factories right now,” said Andy Agusta, compliance manager for PT Hollit International. “Human error has a big impact.”
Furthermore, BWI assisted all participating factories to establish an OSH committee that would oversee all health and safety issues yet almost all (97 percent) of the committees are not functioning.
To inspire well-informed positive changes, BWI held a workshop in mid-April for its partner factories to highlight labour laws pertaining to worker safety and fire prevention, as well as introduce the latest fire prevention equipment in order for management to upgrade existing workplace conditions.
“I’m going to analyse the lessons learned from today when I get back to the factory,” said Warlim Wibawa from PT CSITE TEXPIA. “I think as a whole, we need to assess everything.”
Additionally, on 28 April International Occupational Safety and Health Day, BWI will hold a fun-day for workers and their families in the KBN area with a fire prevention element. With games, races, music and speeches, participants can learn about fire prevention at work and in the home.
Better Work is a unique collaboration programme between the ILO and International Finance Corporation (IFC). Better Work Indonesia (BWI) is funded by the Government of Australia through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO.
Better Work Indonesia is part of the Better Work Global Programme and one of the country projects under the ILO,which aims to improve both labour standards compliance and competitiveness in the apparel industry through advisory and training services tailored to the requirements of each factory. The BWI Programme started in 2011 with the focus on the Jabodetabek area: Purwakarta, Subang and Karawang. Currently, there are 71 garment enterprises enrolled in the BWI Programme and more than 100 factories which are aware of the existence of the programme in Indonesia.
Presently, BWI is embarking on its second phase of programme implementation and expanding its operational coverage both in West Java and Central Java.
For further information, please contact:
Ms Josephine Imelda
Communication and Knowledge Management Officer
ILO-Better Work Indonesia
Tel.: +6221-391 3112 ext. 193
Email
Website
Facebook: Better Work Indonesia
Twitter: @betterworkindo
Locked doors, poor safety equipment and human error can mean the difference between life and death. Garment factories in Indonesia working with ILO’s Better Work Indonesia programme are putting fire prevention in the spotlight during April.
“It’s a hot topic for garment factories right now,” said Andy Agusta, compliance manager for PT Hollit International. “Human error has a big impact.”
In the month of April, Better Work Indonesia (BWI) is focusing on fire prevention during its contribution to occupational safety and health(OSH) in partner factories. Recent research by BWI found that 21 out of 35 factories lack a clear OSH policy and they do not routinely assess OSH risks. This leaves its countless employees vulnerable to the dangers of fires and accidents on site.
Locked doors, poor safety equipment and human error can mean the difference between life and death. Garment factories in Indonesia working with ILO’s Better Work Indonesia programme are putting fire prevention in the spotlight during April.
Furthermore, BWI assisted all participating factories to establish an OSH committee that would oversee all health and safety issues yet almost all (97 percent) of the committees are not functioning.
To inspire well-informed positive changes, BWI held a workshop in mid-April for its partner factories to highlight labour laws pertaining to worker safety and fire prevention, as well as introduce the latest fire prevention equipment in order for management to upgrade existing workplace conditions.
“I’m going to analyse the lessons learned from today when I get back to the factory,” said Warlim Wibawa from PT CSITE TEXPIA. “I think as a whole, we need to assess everything.”
Additionally, on 28 April International Occupational Safety and Health Day, BWI will hold a fun-day for workers and their families in the KBN area with a fire prevention element. With games, races, music and speeches, participants can learn about fire prevention at work and in the home.
Better Work is a unique collaboration programme between the ILO and International Finance Corporation (IFC). Better Work Indonesia (BWI) is funded by the Government of Australia through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO.
Better Work Indonesia is part of the Better Work Global Programme and one of the country projects under the ILO,which aims to improve both labour standards compliance and competitiveness in the apparel industry through advisory and training services tailored to the requirements of each factory. The BWI Programme started in 2011 with the focus on the Jabodetabek area: Purwakarta, Subang and Karawang. Currently, there are 71 garment enterprises enrolled in the BWI Programme and more than 100 factories which are aware of the existence of the programme in Indonesia.
Presently, BWI is embarking on its second phase of programme implementation and expanding its operational coverage both in West Java and Central Java.
For further information, please contact:
Ms Josephine Imelda
Communication and Knowledge Management Officer
ILO-Better Work Indonesia
Tel.: +6221-391 3112 ext. 193
Website
Facebook: Better Work Indonesia
Twitter: @betterworkindo