Triangle factory fire centennial "galvanizing moment" for work safety globally
Triangle factory fire centennial "galvanizing moment" for work safety globally
18:15, March 26, 2011 
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A great deal of progress has been made in factories around the world in terms of improving occupational safety over the past years, but there is still a long way to go on the way ahead, Steve Jesseph, CEO of Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), said on Friday.
March 25 this year marks the 100th anniversary of the worst industrial accident in U.S. history up to that time. On March 25th, 1911, a fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City, in which 146 young workers lost their lives.
The New York state legislature in 1911 created a Factory Investigating Commission to probe into the conditions under which manufacturing was carried on. The commission's investigation led to numerous changes in occupational safety standards in the nation -- factories shall make all doors open outward; all doors shall remain unlocked during business hours; firefighting equipment must be maintained at workplaces and among others.
"A century later, we reflect not only on the tragic loss of these young lives, but also on the movement they inspired. The Triangle factory fire was a galvanizing moment, calling American leaders to reexamine their approach to workplace conditions and the purpose of unions," U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement on Thursday.
"A witness to the fire, Frances Perkins carried the gruesome images of that day through a lifetime of advocacy for American workers and into her role as the secretary of labor and our country's first female cabinet secretary," Obama added.
Years after the tragedy, late U.S. Labor Secretary Frances Perkins termed the commission's efforts a "turning point" in American attitudes toward social responsibility.
Figures from the U.S. Labor Department showed that the total number of fatal work injuries in 2009 was 4,340 representing a 17 percent decrease from the 5,214 fatal work injuries reported for 2008, as 37 states had fewer fatal workplace injuries in 2009 compared to 2008.
"Working Americans are the backbone of our communities and power the engine of our economy. As we mark the anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, let us resolve to renew the urgency that tragedy inspired and recommit to our shared responsibility to provide a safe environment for all American workers," Obama noted.
Experts hold that as some emerging countries including China now serve as the world's new manufacturing centers and export powerhouses, raising corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ensuring workers' occupational safety in those countries have become increasingly important.
"The apparel industry became the poster child for what can go wrong in offshore manufacturing but took responsibility and action to become the global leader in compliance, working with their local manufacturing partners to improve health and safety programs, " Jesseph told Xinhua.
"Managers in other consumer products areas and heavy industry can learn a great deal from the lessons of their textile and apparel counterparts," Jesseph added.
The Virginia-based WRAP is the world's leading facility certification program mainly focused on the apparel, footwear and sewn products sectors. Facilities worldwide can receive a certification lasting for six months to one year based on compliance with the 12 WRAP principles.
The WRAP principles are on the basis of generally accepted international workplace standards, local laws and workplace regulations which encompass human resources management, health and safety, environmental practices, and legal compliance including import and export, security standards and among others.
Tens of hundreds of Chinese factories in apparel, shoes and other sectors have endeavored to get their WRAP certifications in the past decade to improve their competitiveness and recognition in the world, especially in some advanced economies, Jesseph noted.
The world's second largest economy has taken a string of moves to enhance occupational safety and protect workers' legitimate rights in recent years. Figures from the China State Administration of Work Safety showed that a total of 97 people were punished in 2010 after being held responsible for two deadly coal mine accidents and a major traffic accident in China. China has also passed a new labor contract law in 2008 to strengthen the worker rights and interests.
Jesseph noted that WRAP has made a huge progress on the compliance front in China, but it still has a long way to go. "If someone asked me what are the three things that factories in China and some other emerging economies could do to improve their business and demonstrate compliance with customer requirements. I suggest the following: First, hire a qualified safety and environment manager; second, hire a professional human resources executive; third, adopt management system approach to the factory management," Jesseph said.
Source: Xinhua
March 25 this year marks the 100th anniversary of the worst industrial accident in U.S. history up to that time. On March 25th, 1911, a fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City, in which 146 young workers lost their lives.
The New York state legislature in 1911 created a Factory Investigating Commission to probe into the conditions under which manufacturing was carried on. The commission's investigation led to numerous changes in occupational safety standards in the nation -- factories shall make all doors open outward; all doors shall remain unlocked during business hours; firefighting equipment must be maintained at workplaces and among others.
"A century later, we reflect not only on the tragic loss of these young lives, but also on the movement they inspired. The Triangle factory fire was a galvanizing moment, calling American leaders to reexamine their approach to workplace conditions and the purpose of unions," U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement on Thursday.
"A witness to the fire, Frances Perkins carried the gruesome images of that day through a lifetime of advocacy for American workers and into her role as the secretary of labor and our country's first female cabinet secretary," Obama added.
Years after the tragedy, late U.S. Labor Secretary Frances Perkins termed the commission's efforts a "turning point" in American attitudes toward social responsibility.
Figures from the U.S. Labor Department showed that the total number of fatal work injuries in 2009 was 4,340 representing a 17 percent decrease from the 5,214 fatal work injuries reported for 2008, as 37 states had fewer fatal workplace injuries in 2009 compared to 2008.
"Working Americans are the backbone of our communities and power the engine of our economy. As we mark the anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, let us resolve to renew the urgency that tragedy inspired and recommit to our shared responsibility to provide a safe environment for all American workers," Obama noted.
Experts hold that as some emerging countries including China now serve as the world's new manufacturing centers and export powerhouses, raising corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ensuring workers' occupational safety in those countries have become increasingly important.
"The apparel industry became the poster child for what can go wrong in offshore manufacturing but took responsibility and action to become the global leader in compliance, working with their local manufacturing partners to improve health and safety programs, " Jesseph told Xinhua.
"Managers in other consumer products areas and heavy industry can learn a great deal from the lessons of their textile and apparel counterparts," Jesseph added.
The Virginia-based WRAP is the world's leading facility certification program mainly focused on the apparel, footwear and sewn products sectors. Facilities worldwide can receive a certification lasting for six months to one year based on compliance with the 12 WRAP principles.
The WRAP principles are on the basis of generally accepted international workplace standards, local laws and workplace regulations which encompass human resources management, health and safety, environmental practices, and legal compliance including import and export, security standards and among others.
Tens of hundreds of Chinese factories in apparel, shoes and other sectors have endeavored to get their WRAP certifications in the past decade to improve their competitiveness and recognition in the world, especially in some advanced economies, Jesseph noted.
The world's second largest economy has taken a string of moves to enhance occupational safety and protect workers' legitimate rights in recent years. Figures from the China State Administration of Work Safety showed that a total of 97 people were punished in 2010 after being held responsible for two deadly coal mine accidents and a major traffic accident in China. China has also passed a new labor contract law in 2008 to strengthen the worker rights and interests.
Jesseph noted that WRAP has made a huge progress on the compliance front in China, but it still has a long way to go. "If someone asked me what are the three things that factories in China and some other emerging economies could do to improve their business and demonstrate compliance with customer requirements. I suggest the following: First, hire a qualified safety and environment manager; second, hire a professional human resources executive; third, adopt management system approach to the factory management," Jesseph said.
Source: Xinhua
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（Editor：张茜）
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