1,242 killed in workplace accidents in 2017

Workplace accidents in 2017 claimed 1,242 lives and injured 371 in Bangladesh, according to a report on casualties at workplaces by Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE).

The toll rose slightly in 2017 as 1,240 workers were killed in 2016 due to workplace accidents, said Saki Rezwana, the chairperson of Bangladesh OSHE Foundation, said at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) today.

The report was prepared based on news run by 15 newspaper and information gathered from spots by staff of the foundation.

According to the foundation’s report, 270 workers were killed in formal sector while 972 others in informal sector in the outgoing year.

The highest 488 workers were killed in transport sector, 179 in construction and 52 in apparel sector, the report said.

Besides, 99 death victims are farm workers, including the ones killed in lightening strikes, while 103 are day- labourers, 22 domestic workers, 28 fishermen, 8 steel mill, re- rolling mill workers and 18 shipbreaking workers.



Earlier in April of 2017, OSHE in a casualty report said some 294 workers were killed and 101 others seriously injured in workplace accidents in the first three months of the year.