Do accidents really happen “all of a sudden”? Certainly not. If we look closely, we will find that behind almost every accident lies a long-standing pattern of negligence, carelessness, or dereliction of duty.
A minor mistake while unloading a gas cylinder, a moment of carelessness while operating machinery, or the skipping of one seemingly insignificant but essential safety step—such “small” mistakes can often lead to major losses and even claim precious human lives.
After every accident, we simply drown ourselves in grief, investigations are launched, and we engage in a competition to shift the blame onto one another.
But we rarely stop to consider that the accident might not have occurred had proper preventive measures been taken. The recent fire and explosion in Ashulia have once again confronted us with this harsh truth.
Last night, an explosion and fire occurred at a garment factory compound in Jamgora, Ashulia, while gas cylinders were being unloaded from a covered van carrying them. At least six people were killed and many others injured.
The devastating explosion also damaged the factory and nearby structures. It is only natural to ask: should such a hazardous task ever be allowed to be carried out without proper training, expertise, and adherence to safety regulations?
Is the “anything goes” approach we regularly witness in the transportation of gas cylinders throughout the country, including the capital Dhaka, not alarming? Indeed, calling gas-filled cylinders “ticking time bombs” would hardly be an exaggeration.
The common proverb, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing,” is perhaps most painfully illustrated in our workplaces. Every day in this country, countless incidents occur—including boiler explosions, deaths caused by falling heavy objects at construction sites, workers becoming trapped in machinery, electrical accidents, and road crashes caused by inexperienced drivers.
Although the circumstances may differ, the same underlying weakness can be found in most of these incidents.
A person may possess general knowledge about many subjects, but every job requires a certain degree of specialized knowledge, training, and experience.
In particular, superficial knowledge is by no means sufficient in high-risk fields such as factories, hospitals, electricity, gas, construction, or machinery operation.
The mindset of relying on guesswork while disregarding experience often sows the seeds of major accidents. For this reason, thoughts such as “Nothing has happened so far” or “What could possibly happen from something this small?” must be completely abandoned.
The developed world does not leave such risks entirely to individual caution. It places considerable importance on the concept of a “competent person” in hazardous workplaces.
Only those who are capable of identifying risks, ensuring the necessary safety measures, and taking prompt action in dangerous situations are assigned responsibility.
The fundamental philosophy in the developed world is that, rather than looking for someone to blame after an accident occurs, it is better to eliminate the risk before an accident can happen. Should we not follow the same path?
We do not need a major example to understand how costly a small act of carelessness can be. If someone notices that one step of a ladder appears weak and says, “Nothing will happen,” that very step could moments later become the cause of a serious accident.
Sadly, however, we often understand this only after the ladder breaks and we fall to the ground.
This is precisely why it is said that safety regulations are not mere formalities; rather, following them is part of our responsibility toward human life.
Therefore, factory owners must understand that hiring skilled personnel is not an additional expense—it is an investment. Saving money on safety for a single day can bring years of losses.
At the same time, relying on someone merely because they claim, “I know how to do the job,” can prove disastrous when the work is hazardous. Likewise, it is the responsibility of the relevant authorities not merely to check whether rules exist on paper, but to ensure that those rules are actually being followed in practice.
Those concerned must remain vigilant so that the careless phrase, “Nothing will happen,” does not become the prelude to yet another death.
