The death toll in that collapsed Bangladesh factory building has reached 1, 127 people – making it the world’s worst industrial disaster since the 1984 Bhopal gas leak in India, which claimed an estimated 3,787 lives.
More than two weeks after the collapse of a factory building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, sources are reporting that the death toll has reached 912 – and additional bodies may be found as workers continue to dig through the wreckage.
The integrity of the occupational health and safety profession is under threat as it is being drawn into “certifying” that sweatshop factories in global supply chains in the developing world are safe and meet international standards for protecting workers on the job.
In addition to death toll, financial cost is enormous
April 30, 2013
A new report from the United Nations calls for “urgent and vigorous” action to address the issue of work-related diseases, which kill approximately two million people around the world each year. About 160 million more are afflicted by non-fatal occupational illnesses.
Owner arrested while attempting to flee country - but will anyone be held accountable?
April 30, 2013
The death toll in last week’s collapse of a factory building near Dhaka in Bangladesh has risen to at least 398, according to Red Crescent officials in that country, who say that they don’t expect additional survivors to be found.
Safety statistics hard to come by in developing nations
April 29, 2013
With the death toll now exceeding 350, the collapse last week of a factory building in Bangladesh helps focus attention on International Workers’ Day – May 1 -- as well as Workers’ Memorial Day and National Day of Mourning (in Canada), both of which were yesterday but continue to be observed in ceremonies this week.
3M, Brady Corporation among companies who've confirmed participation
April 26, 2013
The 9th edition of OS+H ASIA, The Occupational Safety + Health Exhibition for Asia, will be held from May 7 – 9, 2014 at the Suntec Singapore International Exhibition and Convention Center in Singapore. The event will be organized by Messe Düsseldorf Asia (MDA), the subsidiary of Messe Düsseldorf in Germany, renowned as the organizer of A+A - the leading international trade fair for safety, security and health at work.
In addition Workers Memorial Day in many countries and Workers’ Day of Mourning in Canada, April 28th has also been designated World Day for Safety and Health at Work. The focus this year is on the prevention of occupational diseases.
A proposal to introduce new sustainability reporting requirements across the European Union (EU) could open the door for a quantum leap in transparency and accountability among European companies, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) said recently.
For the third year in a row, lack of high-potential leaders is the most pressing concern for human resources executives, with 32 percent putting it at the top of their list in a recent survey by Right Management.