At least 475 workers were killed in 420 workplace accidents across Bangladesh in the first half (January-June) of 2024, according to a Safety and Rights Society survey report.

The non-governmental organisation revealed the report on Monday.

The report showed that both the numbers of workplace accidents and deceased workers increased in the six months of 2024 compared with that in the same period of 2023.

In January-June period of 2023, a total of 389 workers were killed in 287 accidents across the country.

The Safety and Rights Society conducted the survey based on news published in 15 national and 11 regional newspapers.

Like the previous year, the transport sector posted the highest fatalities — 250 workers killed in 277 accidents in the sector, the report said.

Of the total number of deceased workers, 74 were killed in the service sector that included workshops and gas and electricity supply establishments, 66 in the agricultural sector, 52 in the construction sector and 33 in factories and other manufacturing establishments.

The survey found that 310 workers were killed in road accidents in the period and of them, 250 were transport sector workers and the rest met accidents while commuting to and from their workplaces.

Moreover, 52 people were electrocuted, 51 were killed by lightning, 23 died by falling from the height and 15 were struck or crushed by heavy objects.

Eight individuals were exposed to chemicals or toxic gases in septic or water tanks, six drowned, three died in fires or explosions, one killed by a girder collapse and six succumbed to other causes.

According to the survey, the main causes of transport accidents in the past six months were the uncontrolled transport systems, obstruction of law enforcement, reckless driving and inefficient driving practices.

Electrical accidents often occurred due to connecting electric lines without safety measures, operating motors with wet hands, working under overhead power lines and lifting iron rods near electric cables running alongside buildings.

Some accidents were also attributed to the non-use of personal protective equipment.

Releasing the survey report, Safety and Rights Society executive director Sekender Ali Mina said that that Bangladesh’s production and employment heavily depended on the informal sector where labour laws were largely unenforced, making it challenging to control workplace accidents.

He said that supervision by relevant authorities should be increased to control workplace accidents, particularly in the transport, services, agriculture, construction and manufacturing sectors.

Sekender Ali urged the government to take measures to identify the root causes of accidents and to formulate safety guidelines tailored to factories and institutions, conduct thorough risk assessments and implement effective mitigation strategies.

The report observed that employers were primarily responsible for providing personal protective equipment, conducting safety training and maintaining a safe working environment while the government oversight ensures that employers comply with safety standards.

The reduction of workplace accidents hinges on the collective efforts of the government, employers and workers alike, it said.