Factory worker electrocuted in Haripur

HARIPUR: A factory worker was electrocuted during work at paper mills in Hattar Industrial Estate, the police and Labour Department officials said here on Sunday.

Officials of the Hattar Police Station said Muhammad Ayaz, 22, was busy in the manufacturing process at Neelum Paper Mills in Phase IV, Hattar Industrial Estate when his hand and head accidentally got stuck in the high-powered machine.

Although his fellow workers rescued, he was seriously injured in the incident. The factory management shifted the injured worker to Rawalpindi General Hospital without informing the local police.

However, the injured worker succumbed to his local police and Hazara Labour Federation where the autopsy was conducted at the Rural Health Centre, Kot Najeebullah. Commenting on the death, Tahir Amin, general secretary Hazara Labour Federation, held the factory management responsible for the poor safety measures.

He said that a good majority of Hattar-based factories were not observing occupational health and safety. A factory source, however, disclosed that the deceased worker was wearing ordinary clothes instead of proper uniforms and this led to the mishap but it was not yet confirmed as none from the management was available for comments.

When contacted, Deputy Director Labour Hazara Division Faizullah Khan also confirmed that the worker died during the manufacturing process but said that he would visit the factory on Monday for compiling a detailed report regarding what led to the death of the worker.

He made it clear that if the factory management was found responsible, he would take legal action under Factories Act 2013, leading to six months sentence and Rs300,000 fine or both. Faizullah Khan said the deceased's family would be paid Rs300,000 compensation by the factory management and Rs500,000 as death grant from the Workers Welfare Board.