Fire Service trains construction workers on septic tank risks and safety measures

The Fire Service and Civil Defence conducted a training session on the risks of septic tanks and necessary safety measures at a 16-storey under-construction building in Gulshan-2. The programme, organised by Shanta Holdings, was attended by 75 construction workers.

Md Saleh Uddin, Deputy Director (BFM-S) of Dhaka Division, Kazi Nazmuzzaman, Assistant Director (PFM), and Major (Retd) Hafiz Al Asad, Chief Project Management Officer of the project, were present at the event along with other senior officials.

The programme began at 11:00am with an inauguration ceremony. Assistant Director Kazi Nazmuzzaman delivered the welcome speech, while Major (Retd) Hafiz Al Asad spoke on behalf of Shanta Holdings. The chief guest, Deputy Director Md Saleh Uddin, inaugurated the training with a PowerPoint presentation.

At 12:30pm, following the theoretical session, practical demonstrations were held on supplying air into septic tanks, removing toxic gases with smoke ejectors and air ventilators, extinguishing fires using fire extinguishers, and tackling gas cylinder fires. The training concluded at 1:00pm.

The session was held against the backdrop of recurring septic tank accidents. On 31 August, three workers died while cleaning a septic tank in Munshiganj. According to Fire Service and Civil Defence records, 228 people have died in septic tank and sewer line accidents in the past five years.