19 July,2017 06:03 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day correspondent
A lumberjack in Five Gardens in Matunga East paid the ultimate price for trimming trees without a safety harness when he fell 20 feet to his death
A lumberjack in Five Gardens in Matunga East paid the ultimate price for trimming trees without a safety harness when he fell 20 feet to his death. Although there are conflicting reports about him wearing a safety harness, eyewitnesses insist that he was not wearing one when the incident occurred.
During this season, it's common for the civic authorities to hire contractors to trim branches to prevent trees falling on to pedestrians and motorists after a heavy spell of rain. With charges flying to and fro, it is time the State makes it non-negotiable for contractors to give workers safety gear for such work. Helmets, harness and even a safety net must be considered.
With civic authorities saying that the onus for safety must rest on the contractor, it is time to go a step further. Hire contractors that put a premium on safety and check that they give good equipment to their workers before giving them the contract. If this is made non-negotiable, contractors will finally start toeing the line when it comes to safety.
Similar measures must be taken by workers on infra projects and building sites. We turn a blind eye to labourers on the scaffolding of certain buildings. Many of them work without a safety harness or helmets too.
Very tall trees should be trimmed solely by machines, which would mitigate risk for labourers to a huge extent. Archaic methods do not work in a city where there are so many challenges, from surging crowds to impossible traffic.
We need upgrades on so many fronts.
A premium on human life, a more serious attitude, better awareness among labourers and a non-negotiable stand when it comes to safety, should be fundamental when it comes to working on different aspects of Mumbai.
