Assessing Electrical-Related Fire Risks at RMG Factories in Savar, Bangladesh: A Step towards Sustainable Safety and Development

Abstract

The issue of electrical fire hazards is a major safety risk within the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector, especially in areas that have a high rate of industrialization, like Savar, Bangladesh. Optimal electrical safety management is necessary in providing protection against the workers, ensuring the flow of production, and guaranteeing sustainable growth of the industry. This paper will evaluate the electrical-related fire risk in RMG factories by determining how leading safety management factors are related to perceived fire risk. In particular, the study examines the functions of electrical hazard identification, practices in maintenance and inspection, training and safety compliance, emergency preparedness and responding, and management commitment to safety and development. The quantitative research method was used based on a structured questionnaire survey that was carried out on the employees who work in the RMG factories in Savar. There were 300 valid responses, which had been collected and analyzed using RStudio statistical software. To measure the relationships among the study variables, descriptive statistics, analysis of reliability, correlation analysis, and multiple regression techniques were used. The reliability test yielded a high internal consistency advantage of the constructs, with the Cronbach alpha values showing a range of 0.850 to 0.937. The regression findings reveal that electrical hazard identification has a strong impact (positive) in generating the perceived fire risk, whereas maintenance and inspection practices have the strongest negative impact, contrary to the perceived fire risk. Electrical fire risk mitigation in the factories, however, is also involved in training and safety compliance, emergency preparedness, and management commitment. Such results underscore the use of preventive maintenance systems, training of workers on safety issues, and active safety management to reduce electrical fire hazards. The paper presents practical information that can be used by managers in the factories and policymakers to enhance the electrical safety management in the workplace, as well as the workplace safety of the RMG industry in Bangladesh.