By Dr. Sarath Obeysekera Former CEO, Colombo Dockyard PLC

The tragic factory fire reported recently is not merely another unfortunate industrial accident. It is a stark reminder that industrial safety in Sri Lanka still suffers from weak enforcement, inadequate inspections, and, in some cases, a dangerous culture of complacency.

Every worker leaves home expecting to return safely. When that does not happen, someone has failed in their duty.

The responsibility does not rest solely with the worker or the immediate supervisor. It extends all the way to factory management, company directors, and the Government Factory Inspectorate under the Ministry of Labour, whose primary responsibility is to ensure that every factory complies with the provisions of the Factory Ordinance and internationally accepted occupational health and safety standards such as ISO 45001 and ISO 14001.

Too often, safety inspections become routine paperwork instead of rigorous technical audits. Small and medium-sized factories, in particular, frequently escape the level of scrutiny they deserve. Electrical installations, fire protection systems, emergency exits, hazardous chemical storage, welding operations, gas testing, scaffolding, lifting equipment, and worker training should all be inspected regularly—not after lives have already been lost.

I had the privilege of serving as CEO of Colombo Dockyard, one of Sri Lanka’s largest heavy engineering establishments. During my early days there, I found many workers ignoring basic safety requirements. Helmets were worn without fastening the chin straps. Safety belts were rarely used. Around the docks, subcontractor workers waited for employment wearing sarongs and slippers—completely unsuitable clothing for one of the most hazardous industrial environments in the country.

This culture had to change.

One of the first decisions we made was to impose a complete ban on smoking throughout the shipyard and office premises. Every employee and subcontractor was issued proper industrial safety clothing, safety footwear, helmets with chin straps, eye protection, gloves, and harnesses. Wearing them was not optional. Every engineer, supervisor and worker was required to comply without exception.

Safety signboards were installed throughout the yard, reminding everyone that production could never take priority over human life.

Unfortunately, our resolve was tested.

One tragic accident occurred during hot work inside a cleaned crude oil cargo tank. Standard gas testing had been carried out before welding commenced, and the tank was declared safe. However, an isolated pocket of flammable gas remained trapped beneath an air pocket near previously welded structures. Two subcontractor welders began welding using a 110-volt welding machine. Within seconds, a violent explosion occurred, killing both men instantly.

The subsequent investigations revealed that although established procedures had been followed, they had not been sufficiently comprehensive to detect every hidden hazard.

As Chief Executive, I took the difficult decision to interdict the senior manager responsible for safety, despite there being no evidence that he had personally caused the accident. Leadership carries responsibility beyond direct involvement. Later, the Magistrate’s Inquiry cleared several managers of criminal liability, but disciplinary measures had already reinforced a clear message throughout the organisation:

No manager is above accountability when lives are lost.

A second fatal accident involved a suspended scaffold alongside a ship’s hull. Because of incorrect rigging and inadequate supervision, the scaffold suddenly pivoted, throwing a worker into the bottom of the dry dock, resulting in another tragic death.

Once again, disciplinary action followed. Supervisors and safety officers were held accountable.

These were painful lessons, but they transformed the organisation. Safety audits became far more rigorous. Risk assessments were strengthened. Periodic internal and external safety inspections became mandatory. Compliance with ISO environmental and occupational safety standards became part of everyday operations rather than an annual exercise.

Eventually, Colombo Dockyard was recognised with national safety awards—not because accidents never occurred, but because management demonstrated an uncompromising commitment to learning from every incident and preventing recurrence.

That is the difference between a true safety culture and mere compliance.

Today, I still see photographs from construction sites and factories where workers wear safety helmets with the chin straps hanging loose. Such helmets offer little protection because they fall off at the very moment they are needed most.

Safety equipment only saves lives when it is used properly.

The Government Factory Inspectorate must therefore become far more proactive. Factory engineers should conduct unannounced inspections, particularly in high-risk industries. They should verify that fire detection and suppression systems are operational, emergency exits remain unobstructed, hazardous materials are correctly stored, confined-space entry procedures are followed, gas testing equipment is properly calibrated, scaffolding is erected by competent personnel, lifting appliances are certified, and workers receive continuous safety training.

Inspection reports should never become routine paperwork. They should be technical documents capable of preventing disasters.

There is an old Russian saying that reflects the seriousness with which industrial accidents were once treated:

When a fatal industrial accident occurs, responsibility does not stop with the worker. It travels upwards through every level of management.”

The saying humorously exaggerates that everyone—from the factory director down to the cleaner who mops the manager’s office—could find themselves under investigation. While figurative, the message is powerful: every level of the organisation shares responsibility for safety.

Sri Lanka must adopt that philosophy.

Productivity targets, delivery schedules and financial pressures must never override worker safety. No order is so urgent, no deadline so important, and no profit so valuable that it justifies risking human life.

Every fatal accident should trigger an independent technical investigation, identify systemic failures rather than convenient scapegoats, and ensure that corrective measures are implemented across the entire industry—not only in the factory where the tragedy occurred.

The recent factory fire must not become just another headline forgotten within a week.

It should become the turning point that compels Government Factory Engineers, factory owners, directors, managers, engineers and workers alike to recognise one simple truth:

Industrial safety is not a cost. It is the first duty of every responsible employer and every civilised nation.

If a worker leaves home in the morning, the nation has a moral obligation to ensure that he or she returns home safely in the evening

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera