The deaths highlight failures in industrial safety; Workers are seeking legal action against management.
HARIPUR:
Two workers lost their lives in separate workplace accidents on Sunday in Haripur district, raising fresh concerns over occupational safety standards at industrial and mining sites.
In the first incident, a worker was crushed to death after falling on machinery at a paper manufacturing plant in the 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.
Haider was reportedly trapped in the machine and died instantly. Rescue efforts continued for several hours before his body was recovered from the machinery and transferred to the Rural Health Center (RHC) Kot Najibullah for medico-legal formalities.
The tragedy marks the second fatal industrial accident recorded in Hattar in a month. Previously, a worker had lost his life at a chemical factory, allegedly due to inadequate safety measures.
Following the incident, union representatives arrived at the factory and criticized management for what they described as negligence and failure to implement mandatory workplace safety measures.
They allege that safety standards were systematically ignored and that workers at the industrial estate were exposed to dangerous conditions.
Union leaders further stated that several accidents had previously occurred at the factory, but that no effective measures had been taken to ensure compliance with workplace safety laws.
They called on the Department of Labor, occupational safety authorities and police to conduct a thorough investigation and take legal action against those responsible.
The workers also demanded that a criminal case be initiated against the factory management if negligence is proven during the investigation.
In another incident in Ghazi area, a young worker died after being buried under a mound of sand in 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 officials took the body to the hospital, where legal formalities were completed before it was handed over to the family for burial. The police registered a case and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Sealed processing units
The Department of Labor sealed the main processing units of Qartas Paper Mills at Hattar Industrial Estate following the death of a worker at the factory, marking what labor representatives described as the first such action in the history of Hattar Industrial Estate.
The official personally visited the factory and ordered the production units to be sealed pending further investigation.
According to labor representatives, the family of the deceased worker will register a formal First Information Report (FIR) regarding the incident.
Insaf Labor Wing provincial general secretary Tahir Amin said labor organizations will continue to support the grieving family until justice is served.
He added that efforts will 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 drawn criticism from some quarters.
