Deaths highlight lack of industrial safety; workers file suit against management
HARIPUR:
Two workers lost their lives in separate industrial accidents in Haripur district on Sunday, raising fresh concerns over occupational safety standards at industrial and mining facilities.
In the first incident, a worker was crushed to death after falling into machinery at a paper mill in Hattar Industrial Estate. The deceased was identified as Shan Haider, son of Umar Daraz, who was on duty during the night shift when the accident occurred.
According to reports, Haider was trapped in the machine and died on the spot. Rescue efforts continued for several hours before his body was retrieved from the machinery and shifted to Rural Health Center (RHC) Kot Najibullah for medico-legal formalities.
The tragedy marks the second fatal industrial accident reported in Hattar within a month. A worker had previously lost his life at a chemical factory, allegedly due to inadequate safety measures.
After the incident, union representatives reached the factory and criticized management for what they described as negligence and failure to implement mandatory workplace safety measures.
They claimed that safety regulations were routinely ignored and that workers in the industrial area were exposed to dangerous conditions.
Union leaders further alleged that several accidents had occurred at the factory in the past, but no effective measures had been taken to ensure compliance with occupational safety laws.
They called on the Ministry of Labour, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the police to conduct a thorough investigation and take legal action against those responsible.
The workers also demanded registration of a criminal case against the factory management if negligence is found during the investigation.
In a separate incident in the Ghazi area, a young laborer died after being buried under a sand mound at a quarry. The deceased, identified as Muhammad Ibrahim of Mohallah Shah Baba, Golra, Attock, was working as a helper with a loader at the time of the accident.
Police and rescue workers moved the body to the hospital where legal formalities were completed before it was handed over to the family for burial. The police opened a case and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Processing units sealed
The Labor Department sealed the main processing units of Qartas Paper Mills in Hattar Industrial Estate following the death of a worker at the factory, marking what labor representatives described as the first such action in Hattar Industrial Estate’s history.
The official personally visited the factory and ordered sealing of the production units pending further investigation.
According to worker representatives, a formal First Information Report (FIR) regarding the incident will be registered by the deceased worker’s family.
Insaf Labor Wing provincial secretary general Tahir Amin said labor organizations would continue to stand with the bereaved family until justice is served.
He added that efforts would also be made to secure financial assistance for the family from both the factory management and the provincial government.
Amin acknowledged that the decision to seal the factory’s main processing units had attracted criticism from some quarters.
