Introduction:

Purpose of the audit:A health and safety audit is an audit that focuses on some or all aspects of health and safety. It is a review performed to determine whether health and safety regulations and company policies are being adequately implemented and complied with.

Bashundhara Group audits provide an in-depth review of workplace safety programs and are conducted for the purpose of health, safety, and fire hazard identification. Audits assess a company’s compliance to applicable regulations or codes as well as the identification of unsafe conditions in the workplace. Audits also provide an evaluation of workplace adherence to Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards relating to workplace and worker safety.

Keep in mind that safety audits are meant to check the effectiveness of various programs, but they do not take place of regular training program and orientation programwhich should be done on a much more frequent basis as facility rules dictate.

Background of the company:

Basundhara Group

Bashundhara Group is one of the most prestigious and experienced commercial and industrial conglomerates in Bangladesh today. The Group took off from the incipient period after establishment of East West Property Development (Pvt.) Ltd. a real estate concern, popularly known as "Bashundhara" which happened to be its first venture in this sector.

Since inception, Bashundhara Group has been actively contributing to the national as well as global economy by

way of effective utilization of resources, using raw materials, production and marketing high quality productsat the most competitive prices and creating employment opportunities.

Bashundhara is now operating with fourteen vital enterprises of highly esteemed commercial and technological superiority having profound degree of specialization in the field of real estate, industrial ventures and commercial enterprises. Current value of thetotal assets of the enterprises of Bashundhara Group would be about Tk. 15000 million equivalent to approximately US$ 300 million. Total turnover of the business amounts to around Tk. 16000 million equivalent to US$ 325 million.

Presently 8100 people are employed in various enterprisesof the group. Besides, through its multidirectional economic activities, Bashundhara has created employment opportunities to over 30,000 people.

The linkages to employment and better standard of living are immediate. By providing employment opportunities to alarge number of people, Bashundhara helps in generation of income, which, in turn, would assist in improvement ofthe quality of life of people in terms of nutrition, literacy, standard of living and physical and social environment.

We have done our auditing on Bashundhara group, and we have visited their Head office, which is situated in Bashundhara, Baridhara. On an average 400 employees work at this office and it’s a two storedbuilding. This officeis particularly used for Sales and Marketing functions and related to printing purpose. This office is mainly

involved in multinational project, which occupies TK 15 to 200 corers. And then we have visited their corporate management office, where we have covered the whole security and operating system of the organization. The corporate office is situated in Panthapath, Bashundhara city shopping complex where on an average 15 employees work in management department and 300 security guards are available to ensure the security measures. They are mainly involved in safety, security and controlling process of the whole shopping mall as well asthey also deal with other management issues of Bashundhara group.Their office is located in basement of the shopping complex, heath and safety department is in level 7, fire controlling system is located in basement as well as in the rooftop,(level 8) Moreover, their security control room is in level 2. While walking aroundboth the places we inspected the following sectors given as follows:

Personal protective EquipmentEmergency equipments Emergency training Health and safety awareness Health and safety training Health and safety posters/signs Safety guidelines compliance

Occupational Health and Safety Policy

- Hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control.

- Health and safety legislation, regulations and recognized standards.

- Specific health and safety issues within the workplace.

- Investigation of all diseases, injuries, near misses and accidents and formulate appropriate preventative action

- Regularly monitor and review the implementation of and compliance with OH & S policies.

All staff is expected to:

- Practice safe working habits.

- Report unsafe working conditions or equipment.

- Keep their immediate work area in a safe and orderly condition.

- Take care of others.

- Co-operate with (NAME) in meeting the requirements of the OH & S Act.

- Accord the health and safety of non-employees, visitors, etc. a high priority.

- Immediately report any hazards or faulty equipment to the Team Manager/CEO.

TEAM MANAGERS HAVE THE OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR TRAINING IN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY.

Practice Heath and Safety issues of the company:

Effective risk management starts with a commitment to health and safety from those who operate and manage the business or undertaking. You also need the involvement and cooperation of your employees, and if you show your employees that you are serious about health and safety they are more likely to follow your lead.

What are available?

Sufficient lighting and ventilation:

In every part of the organization where employees are working or passing are provided with sufficient and suitable lighting, natural or artificial or both which isa part of good ergonomics.

Cane water supply:

In Head Office more than 250 workers are working so they are proving safe drinking water for employee and during hot weather cooling facility is also available. Cane one of the best water supplier who provides them water everyday and the water is being tested after every 3 daysby heath inspector.

24/7 CC camera facilities for supervision:

The security control room through the help of CC camera is observing the whole security systems of the organization. The working habits and the practices are being observed by the management as a result they can’t not involved in any kind of unethical activities. In caseany accident occurs the cause of the accident can be indentified through CC camera.

Cleanliness:

The floors of every workroom are cleaned twice in a day by moping using this infected where necessary or by some other effective method. Sweeping moves the dirt and refuge daily, and the carpets are being changed after every 3 months.

Fireman lift:

The fires lift good mechanical construction and sound material it is properly maintained and examined by fire inspector at least once in every 6 months. This lift is only used during the fire when other lifts are unable to work. It can move up to 24th floor to rescue people duringan accident and it has two fire extinguishers. Moreover an awareness sign is been placed in front of the lift.

Fire hose cabinet:

In this fire cabinet they have:* 100 ft hose with 24/7 water flow system* It is connected with 1 lac gallon water reserve tank * A, B, C type fire extinguisher *40,000 fire hydrantsis available. When they cant reach with 100 ft hose they use the hydrant for extra support.

Fire shed door:

Fire shed door is available in every floor with the awareness sign. Language precaution sign is written in both Bengali and English so that everyone can easily understand. Location of the floor (basement 1) is also mentioned so that people can understand their position incase of anemergency. It also included an automatic door closer.

Fire exit connective stair:

They have fire exit stair connected with the basement towards the 24th level along with fire exit sign.

Fire stairway shaft:

It provides cool air and controls the temperature, absorbsmoke and bring fresh air so that people can breath easily. It helps to reduce humidity. It is available in every fire exit stairways.

General pump:

During a fire accident first of all electrical pump will start functioning, in case of extreme emergency if the electrical pump is not sufficient or it is not functioning then general pump will start supplying water in an automatic process.

This is a picture of an electrical water pump.

Master key box:

Master key box holds all the master key of main door, so that people don’t need to search for important key when it necessary.

Alarm and detection systemHeat detector:

it provides signal when the temperature is too high (65º c)Smoke detector:

They have smoke detector on every level to detect fire and smoke. Smoke detector sometimes provide wrong signal if it has got some technical problem. If there is any

fire or smoke. Smoke detector and heat detector sends signal to the control room in following form:• In normal situation when a minor incident occurs it sends green signal to the control room.• In troublesome situation it sends yellow signal• In the last stage when major incident occurs it send red signal to the control panel.

Fire alarm:

It makes people aware through alarm that fire occurred somewhere in the organization.

General storage of combustibles:

There are two types of fire extinguisher in the organization.• CO2 type (for electric fire)• A, B, C type (normal purpose)They have enough reservation of A, B, C type extinguisher

Co2 extinguisher:

Co2 (carbon dioxide) gas is for electric fire, it is one kind of cold gas. This Co2 is connected to a nozzle and when the temperature of the electric power supplier room goes up or if there any fire incident happens it will automatically transmit the gas.

Fire exit sign:

Fire exit signs are available everywhere of the organization.Precaution sign:

Precaution signs are also available where necessary.Chiller room:

Chiller room is the place from where all the air cooler circulation system of the organization is controlled.

Central air-cooling system:

The whole organization is under central air conditioner system. Beside that they have Traditional A/C where needed.

Good house keeping practices:

In every corner they have waste bin and trees to enrich beauty and to keep the environment nit and clean. The organization is totally noise freeso that the employees can work in a sound psychology.

FIRST AID AND PPE:

First aid is accessible to every employee of the organization and they get free treatment from Apollo

hospital if the employee gets affected due to hazardous elements or situation inside the organization.Emergency oxygen cylinder and personal protective equipments are available.

Fire drill:

Fire drill is arranged at least once in every year. Usually they arrange fire dill during the month of May.

Flooring:

as the floor is carpeting, non slippery flooring prevent or reduces foot fatigue and contribute to slip preventionmeasures.

Latrines and urinals:

Sufficient latrines and urinals of prescribed type are provided, continently situated and accessible to employees at all times while they are in work. It is adequately lighted and ventilated and supplied with waterall time. It is maintained in a clean and sanitary condition with suitable detergents or disinfectants hand wash. They have separate latrine and urinals for male and female.

Hazard:Hazard is something, which has potential to cause damage or harm physically, environmentally or potentially. Hazard can lead us to an accident.

Step 1) identification of hazard:Loose uncovered cables: the wires are uncovered and messed up on the floor.

Step 2) the employees, visitors and cleaners might be harmed.The wire should be organized such way so that employees and visitors don’t trip. This is also risky because in case of wire loose their insulated resistance, electricalshock might take place. It can also catch fire. In case of trip and fall the employees might get injured moderately or mildly. In case of fire extreme or major consequence might take place. Step3& 4) There is no existing controls. For the uncovered wires it is necessary to arrange the wires and sum up by rolling it and put aside in a safe corner. So covering of cables is very important so that it do not cross walkways.Step 5) the suggestion as mentioned above if it is implemented then they will able be able to avoid hazard and risk and the control measure will work out properly.

Step 1) Identification of hazard:Poorhouse keeping: the bundles of paper are kept in the floor just under the photocopier machine. (Picture 1) Cartons are kept in an unorganized way over the file cabinet (picture 2)

Step 2) Photocopier man and general employees might be harmed Cartons are kept in an unorganized way over the file cabinet so there is risk that the cartons might falldown anytime and employees might get injured. Employees may get mild injury.Step 3) don’t stack file or papers too high. The cartons should be kept in a proper way and hazard free way. Administrative supervision and proper arrangement is necessary. Photocopy papers could be kept above or in theshelf. Cartons could be kept in the different shelf in a hazard free way. Files and cartons may fall over the employee while working around the shelf.

Step 4) work place procedure and positioning of files, paper and cartons should be changed and develop. Supervision is necessary, more new shelf should be allocated in the workplace.

Step 5) the suggestion given above should be reviewed.

Step 1) identification of hazard: Open drawer

Step 2) the employees who are working around the desk mayface difficulties while walking and in case of unawareness they can fall down. In case of this accident an employee may get mild, moderate or even major injury.

Step 3) don’t overload or kept drawer open. Employee’s personal drawer was kept open unnecessarily which is a hazard and it may cause an accident, as well. The drawersshould always be kept close to avoid unwanted injuries.

Step 4) the employee should be aware of consequences of opening a drawer unnecessarily so that they don’t forget to close the drawer. Training and instructions should be given to new employees

Step 5) heath and safety inspector should look over the situation.

Step 1) identification of hazard: Uneven floor

Step 2) employees, visitors, cleaners and trainees might be harmed. As we can see the floor is not evenly designed, as a result there trip happen when it creates

clutter in your way and causing the employees to loose the balance and eventually fall. In case of this accidentan employee may get mild, moderate or even major injury.

Step 3) in the working area floor should be flat or else anyone can meet injuries due to slight unawareness. If there is any uneven floor the authority should hang a signboard or a notice board, but we didn’t found such sign board in this organization. so the floor lay out should be changed.

Step 4) awareness should be raised among the authority and employees. design of the floor layout should be changed to avoid trip and fall.

Step 5) after talking mentioned measures the management should reviews whether it is properly maintained or not.

Step1) identification of hazard: Obstacles in walkways:

Step 2) all the existing people in the organization may be harmed due to hurry while in an emergency. In this picture is it clear that there is a stone and dustbin just in front the gate as we know the fire doors should always be kept clear. Here trip and fall may happen during an emergency. When your foot heat the object causes you to loose the balance and fall down. It may cause bodily injury or even death

Step 3) according to the code of practice in every organization fire door shall not be obstructed with any type of materials while work is being carried on in the organization.

Step 4) they must remove the stone and the bin (obstacle)in front of the fire exit door emergency exit.

5) The fire officer must observe and take necessary stepswhere appropriate.

1) Identification of hazard: No fire sprinklers available

Step 2) people existing in the organization along with their asset and documents might be harmed due to fire. The consequences of the fire might be mild to extreme.

Step 3) Unfortunately there wasn’t any fire sprinklers inthe organization. Fire sprinklers play a vital role in the initial stage of a fire incident.

Step 4) they should immediately install fire sprinklers in every part of the organization to reduce the danger offire.

Step 5) the management team along with fire officer should be in charged.

Step 1) identification of hazard: No sign of causation trip hazard

Step 2) employees, visitors, trainee may be tripped due to unconsciousness. Consequences of not given this caution sign may be mild, moderate or major.Causation trip sign is not available in their organization.

Step 3) as a code of practice in every organization the caution sign should be distinctively marked in Bengali

language or by some other effective and clearly understood sign.

Step 4) caution sign should be implemented in every danger area of the organization.

Step 5) management should take into account as early as possible.

Identification of hazard: No safety manual

Step 2) the employee and new employee may be harmed due uninformed work practices. Minor and major injuries mighttake place.

Step 3) according to law every organization should have safety manual for guidance of the employee about heath and safety issue. They don’t have any safety manual, which is very much necessary to make the new employees aware of heath and safety issues in the organization

Step 4) higher authority of the company should take it seriously and provide manual safety guide to every employee to raise awareness.

Step 5) finally the procedure should be review by the management team and safety manuals should be issued.

Work place ergonomics problem:

Step 1) wrong placement of telephone

Step 2) the employee might be harmed. The telephone should not be placed under the working table and over a CPU. The placement of the telephone is incorrect. An employees need to take awkward posture and bend to receive a phone call which may lead him to back disorder and shoulder pain. The person might also get electric shock form computer cables.

Step 3) it is necessary to remove telephone from under the table and put it on the table or in a suitable place at a suitable height.

Step 4) the employee should be warned for incorrect placement of the thing. they should be instructed to maintain the materials properly and to keep the things inthe right place.

Step 5) the supervisor should keep eye on unorganized thing and check them at regular basis.

Step 1) identification of hazard: Displacement of refrigerator

Step2) the general employees and third class employee might be suffered of this.This refrigerator is totally inan unsuitable place. A bundle of rubbish is kept just in front of the refrigerator so it is not easy access for anyone to reach to the fridge. It may cause minor accident.

Step 3) refrigerator should be kept in an open place so that all the employee can reach to it easily. The path

should be clean and clear. no extra thing should be kept just in front of the fridge.

Step 4) the authority should notice this and give a command to replace the refrigerator or take away the rubbish. They give all give command to take all the mandatory measures to make it hazard free.

Step 5) after replacement authority should check whether it is perfectly replaced or not.

Step 1) identification of hazard: Uncomfortable chair:

Step2) the employee and the manager might be harmed.the chair is too bended that’s why it doesn’t match up with backbone properly, it will cause back disorder or back pain.

Step 3) the chair should be replaced with comfortable chair. the chair should be designed in such a way which will reduce awkward movement and uncomfortable posture. the back of the chair should be straight to avoid backbone disorder and back pain.

Step 4) the management can provide height adjustable chair so individual operator can work at their preferred work height. The management should monitor the ergonomicsproblem and the hazard free chair should be provided.

Step 5) it is necessary to make sure whether the chair still has same problem after replacing it or not.

Step 1) identification hazard: Display screen equipment:

Step 2) the employee might be harmed. The computer screenis poorly positioned. It is too far from the employee or offset to one side. Moreover there are too many stuffs are under the desk and that’s why employee will not be able to free his legs. The positioning of the working

materials requires awkward posture such as bending and twisting, which may cause shoulder neck or shoulder pain.

Step 3) the screen should be placed closer to employee while working. the obstacles such as bin, A4 size carton,stack papers should be removed from under the desk to create sufficient leg room.

Step 4) the degree of supervision is needed to improve the positioning of materials mentioned above. The employee must realize about the risk and work safely.

Step 5) heath and safety officer must notice the working environment and be determined to change such risky work practices.

Step1) identification of hazard: Managing the workday:

Step 2) the employees might be harmed. Due to over work or unsuccessful official event a worker put into pressure, in such a case they feel stressed. As a result the potentiality of a worker may reduce.

Step 3) employees should work in a stress free working environment. They should never take heavy work pressure, which can tell upon their heath. Too many working pressure can put them into stress, which will reduce the efficiency of an employee.

Step 4) managers should have a clear guidance of working schedule. On the other hand they should ensure a friendlyand stress free working environment for each employee.

Step 5) sometimes supervision from manager level is required. If there is any stressed worked they should provide proper counseling and bring soundness in their mind.

Step 1) identification of hazard Unsuitable matt:

Step2) all the employees, visitors and trainee might get harmed. This matt is too thick. People might get stuck and fall. It may cause mild and minor accident.

Step 3) matt should not be uneven and thick. This matt isuneven and due to unconsciousness people might get stack.Thus it can be a reason of trip and fall.

Step 4) cleaning department should replace this matt witha flat and water absorbing matt.

5) This activity should be observed by the higher authority of the organization.

Step 1) identification of hazard: No safety audit:

Step 2) employees, whole organization and other office/building around the organization might get harmed.Safety audit is very essential for any organization. Through safety audit an organization can know about theirproblems, hazard and risk. They also get information how and why their organization may get into trouble. By knowing these they can take precaution and stay safe froman accident. The consequences of not doing safety audit can cost minor to major loss.

Step 3) the heath and safety audit should take place in the organization on regular basis to remain safe. Otherwise they will never be able to find out their lacking and to solve it.

Step 4) higher authority should concern about this and they should immediately give instruction to the heath andsafety department to arrange heath and safety audit regularly.

Step 5) management should give a thought to such an important issue and take all the possible steps to start heath and safety audit practicing on a regular basis.

Step 1) identification of hazard: No practice of hazard registered:

Step 2) employees and common people might get harmed. If there is any hazard the organization must register it to keep their organization hazard free. no practice of hazard registered may cause accidents frequently and consequences may reach to major level.

Step 3) if anyone wants to keep one’s organization hazardfree he or she must identify the hazards first and then register it. Through registration they can make awareness. Thus they will be able to reduce the chance ofbeing get harmed as well as accident.

Step 4) administration should realize the importance of registration hazard and take serious steps to make it happening in their organization.

Steps 5) after implementing this system they should compare the value of previous accident and current accident.

Step1) identification of hazard: fire door should not be closed from outside

Step 2) visitor, employee, cleaner, control unit, security guard might get harmed. If the door is locked from outside and suddenly a fire accident occurs inside the room, in that situation the employee may not be able to get out of the room. it may cause serious injury or even death due to burned up in fire.

Step 3) according to the code practice the door in any organization should not be locked or fastened so that onecan be easily and immediately open form inside while any person is with in the room.

Step 4) it is necessary to develop a self closing fire door, a door closer that pulls the door completely shut after the door has been opened. it is also necessary to develop a positive latching, a positive latch close a door in places so that one can open swing open freely.

Step 5) the fire officer needs to review the fire door and he should give advice to include a door closer and a positive latch to the fire door.

Step 1) identification of hazard: unavailable aluminum stair edge trim

Step 2) employees, customers, cleaners, controllers, security guards, shopkeeper and liftman might be harmed. The stairs are not protected with stair edge trim as a consequence the people may sleep while coming down through the stairs.

Step3) the aluminum stair edge trim is designed to prevent slip and fall in slippery stairs. So it is necessary to include the stair edge trim as soon as possible.

Step 4) the safety inspectors should inform the organization about the function of stair edge trim and its necessity to prevent accident.

Step 5) the safety inspector should observe the control measure, which he has suggested earlier and should be improved if any other problem arises.

Recommendation and conclusion:

As we know a major fire accident took place in Bashundhara city on March 2009 at that time they had modern fire equipments but couldn’t operate it efficiently because of unskilled fire team and lack of maintenance. This inferno not only damaged the assets anddocuments of the Group but also hampered the image of ourcountry and leaves every private or commercial establishment vulnerable. We, the general people, really want to know what the source of this accident was and would really appreciate the investigating team if they let us know the reason behind it. They may also inform uswhat safety equipment every establishment should maintain. The Fire Service of this country should be wellequipped to handle this sort of situation. The Fire Protection Act 2003 directs all buildings, including commercial establishments, to have sufficient firefighting equipment and also to conform to the measures for public security. After such a major incidentthey improved their control measures and adopted some newtechniques and equipments such as hydrant point, water reservoir and a tank on top, which will always contain a certain amount of water. Fire drilling system in head office has also started after the incident. The number offire extinguisher and alarm detection system has also improved in a large extent. After the incident fire signage system has started in a vast way.

Form the risk assessment process that we have done above we came to know that the organization should improve in ergonomics, the worker should be trained up and orientation is must needed before joining in the organization. The employees must know about their safety manual. Moreover this organization doesn’t have any insurance policy for the employees. So insurance policy should be implemented for every employee. Administration should be more aware of their policies and code of conduct. Fire sprinklers should be installed through out the organization. All the obstacles and lay out of the work environment, which leads to slip, trip and fall, should be minimized.

Health and safety associations can help to change attitudes and behaviors around workplace safety.

Association members have specialized knowledge of their organization, and they can play a role in:

•Developing organization standards and best practices

•Educating and training workers

•Providing consultative services

We believe it’s time to review our Principles and Criteria for Funding Industry Associations Resolution.