Framework must for safe handling of dangerous chemicals: CPD

There are institutional and operational weaknesses across the value chain of dangerous chemicals and hazardous products and a comprehensive industrial framework at every stage of the chain has become a must for this export and import-oriented sector to ensure workplace safety, according to the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

The think-tank made the suggestion in a study — titled “Industrial Safety Concerning Chemical and Hazardous Products Supply Chain: What lessons we learned from Chittagong ICD blast?” — conducted in collaboration with Christian Aid.

CPD Research Director Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem unveiled the findings at their office in Dhaka on Wednesday.

“The concerned authorities appear to be bypassing their due diligence in ensuring compliances, which increased risks in the hazardous chemicals international trade. The compliances of the SOPs and failure to maintain compliances need to be immediately handled,” said the study.

These authorities include the National Board of Revenue, customs, Fire Service and Civil Defence, Department of Environment, Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, chief boiler inspector’s office, and Bangladesh Navy. They are related to licencing, registration, certification and renewal of these documents.

Regular strict inspections of establishments storing dangerous chemicals need to be ensured and a comprehensive industrial safety framework needs to be formulated. This framework should cover the whole value chain, including production, transportation, storage, shipment and delivery, said the study.

Monitoring and oversight institutions concerning industrial safety and related to dangerous chemicals need to revise their inspection protocol and introduce necessary provisions. Assuring the safety and security at each stage of the value chain, it added.

Mentioning on average one accident in this sector happens every two days in Bangladesh, Dr Moazzem said, “The BM Container Depot disaster cannot be seen as just a fire accident. This is not just a case of the weakness of one container depot. This has exposed major vulnerabilities in industrial security.”

He said the risk of industrial safety concerning hazardous chemicals is not only limited to the inland container depots as they found weaknesses in structural and safety-related areas of the production, transportation, storage, shipment and marketing of dangerous chemicals and hazardous products.

The rules and regulations are not being followed to the letter. They also found a deficiency in institutional capacity and policy, legal, structural and implementation levels, he added.

To address all these issues, the integrated industrial security framework has become mandatory and at the same time, security risks will decrease if everyone concerned coordinates and work together, said Dr Moazzem.

CPD Executive Director Dr Fahmida Khatun said that Bangladesh will gradually become the centre of industrialisation in the future due to regional and global demand. That is why ensuring safety in this sector, and in general, has become important.

“No one can make this happen alone. Therefore, integrated action is a must,” she added.