{"id":17231,"date":"2025-11-15T11:57:03","date_gmt":"2025-11-15T09:57:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/?p=17231"},"modified":"2026-10-07T21:42:39","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T19:42:39","slug":"labor-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/labor-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Deadly Factory Fires Expose Egypt\u2019s Workplace Safety Failures"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thirteen people, including three civil defence personnel, were killed and more than 30 injured when a major fire tore through the Al-Beshbeishy spinning and weaving factory in Mahalla al-Kubra in the early hours of Friday, 26 September 2025. Preliminary reports linked the blaze to an electrical short circuit and a boiler explosion on an upper floor, followed by the collapse of parts of the building. These accounts should not be confused with a final determination of the fire\u2019s cause.<\/p>\n

The disaster renewed questions about safety inside industrial and commercial premises: whether workers can escape, whether equipment is maintained, and whether inspections identify hazards before they become fatal. It came less than two months after a restaurant fire in Sohag killed at least five people, including children, and injured dozens. Prosecutors ordered the restaurant owner detained during the investigation.<\/p>\n

The two disasters exposed concerns extending from inadequate maintenance and emergency exits to the availability of usable firefighting equipment and the enforcement of safety rules. They also raised a broader question: how effective are Egypt\u2019s labour legislation and occupational safety regulations when violations continue to put workers\u2019 lives at risk?<\/p>\n

National fire statistics provide context, but they are not a count of workplace fires. CAPMAS recorded more than 200,000 fires across Egypt between 2020 and 2024. Contrary to a claim in the original version of this report, commercial premises did not account for the largest share in 2024: vacant land, rubbish and waste accounted for 39.4%, and residential buildings for 38.3%. The 2024 release<\/a> recorded 46,925 fires, compared with 45,435 in 2023, a rise of 3.2%.<\/p>\n

A separate CAPMAS bulletin on workplace injuries<\/a> recorded 8,317 cases in 2023, down from 9,857 in 2022, a decrease of 15.6%. The private sector accounted for 52% of the recorded cases. The bulletin covers government, public and public-business entities, private establishments with at least 50 employees, and investment-sector establishments; it should not be read as a complete count of injuries across informal employment.<\/p>\n

\"Fires<\/p>\n

Fires continued during 2025. The July blaze at Cairo\u2019s Ramses telecommunications exchange killed four people and injured 27, according to reporting cited in the Arabic original, and disrupted internet services across wide areas. A reported fire at a foam factory in Damietta also illustrated the risks associated with combustible industrial materials. The cause of each incident requires its own investigation; a national pattern cannot establish negligence in an individual case.<\/p>\n

Workers face hazards beyond the factory gate. On 25 February 2024, ten workers drowned and five were injured in a ferry accident while travelling to their jobs at a water-station project connected to the New Delta development. They had boarded a wooden ferry near Nekla, north of Giza. On 21 May 2024, a minibus fell from a ferry at Abu Ghaleb, killing 16 girls and young women on their way to work in fruit packing for export.<\/p>\n

Another incident, reported on 19 December 2024<\/a>, killed four workers and injured two in a sewage well at Al-May village in Shebin al-Kom, Menoufia. Workers reportedly entered the well in succession in an attempt to rescue a colleague, then suffered asphyxiation. The source describes four deaths and two injuries, not six deaths, and locates the accident in Shebin al-Kom rather than Tala.<\/p>\n

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Safety requirements on paper<\/h2>\n

Occupational safety standards require employers to provide safe equipment and maintain it, arrange the transport and storage of goods without endangering workers, provide training and supervision, and ensure access to suitable personal protective equipment and first aid.<\/p>\n

Shaaban Khalifa, head of the Private Sector Workers\u2019 Union, tells Zawia3 that Labour Law No. 14 of 2025 devotes a section to occupational safety, health and the working environment. He says its purpose is to require establishments and their branches to provide protective measures and maintain a safe workplace.<\/p>\n

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For Khalifa, protection cannot be reduced to the presence of equipment: rescue arrangements, first aid, cleanliness, order and organisation inside the workplace are all part of preventing risks from escalating.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He points to health requirements for employees handling food and drink, as well as employers\u2019 obligations to take precautions against fire in accordance with the requirements set by the competent Interior Ministry authorities. These include firefighting equipment, other safety measures and periodic inspections.<\/p>\n

Khalifa also highlights the dangers of confined and enclosed spaces. He says the Labour Ministry is responsible for inspecting occupational safety measures and checking employers\u2019 compliance, while Civil Defence has a central role in fire-safety approvals and inspections.<\/p>\n

The new labour law<\/a> addresses physical, engineering, chemical and biological hazards, alongside indirect risks. The framework described in the report includes assessing potential industrial and natural hazards, preparing emergency plans, and establishing arrangements to protect workers and visitors while limiting losses when an incident occurs.<\/p>\n

Specialised occupational safety inspection requires expertise across medicine, engineering, pharmacy, science and environmental protection. Inspectors must be able to assess actual conditions, identify non-compliance and recommend measures to prevent harm. Training workers, reporting serious incidents and recording corrective action are also essential to making inspection effective.<\/p>\n

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What a safe workplace requires<\/h2>\n

Occupational safety consultant Tamer Sheraki tells Zawia3 that Egypt\u2019s safety requirements sit within a broader framework of labour legislation, civil protection rules and local regulations. He stresses that they are not merely administrative formalities: they represent a minimum commitment to protecting life and property, particularly in crowded or high-risk premises.<\/p>\n

For restaurants, shops, companies and shopping centres, Sheraki identifies several basic requirements. Fire-safety permissions should be obtained and reviewed; suitable extinguishers must be available in sufficient numbers and maintained. Emergency exits must be clearly marked and kept clear, with emergency lighting that works when the electricity fails.<\/p>\n

He also calls for appropriate alarm systems, including smoke and heat detection, audible throughout the premises. An emergency evacuation plan must be accompanied by regular training so workers understand what to do rather than encounter the plan for the first time during a fire.<\/p>\n

Structural and environmental safety are part of the same obligation. Workplaces need adequate natural or mechanical ventilation, especially where fumes or gases can accumulate, suitable lighting, cleanliness and safe waste disposal. Electrical installations and distribution boards require periodic inspection, with appropriate protective circuit breakers and earthing.<\/p>\n

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Different industries, different hazards<\/h2>\n

Restaurants and food businesses require particular attention to cooking equipment and public access, Sheraki says. Effective extraction and grease filtration, appropriate fire suppression around cooking appliances, and accessible gas shut-off valves are important safeguards. The exact system must match the equipment and hazards present.<\/p>\n

He also highlights slip-resistant flooring in preparation, cooking and washing areas, effective drainage, safe food storage and preparation, and training in the use and storage of knives and other sharp tools.<\/p>\n

In multistorey offices and shopping centres, more extensive engineering systems may be needed: sprinkler coverage, water tanks and pumps, firefighting hoses, and qualified safety personnel who inspect conditions and keep records. Lifts and escalators need maintenance and clear warnings, while trained security staff must be able to manage movement and evacuation in crowded areas.<\/p>\n

Workers also need personal protective equipment suited to the task, such as helmets, eye protection and safety footwear. Maintenance procedures must prevent machinery from unexpectedly restarting or releasing stored energy. Lockout\/tagout procedures isolate hazardous energy sources before work begins.<\/p>\n

Textile factories combine several hazards. Fibres and lint can fuel rapidly spreading fires; machinery creates mechanical risks; and workers may be exposed to noise and airborne dust. Sheraki recommends suitable fire protection, dust and fibre extraction with filtration, guards around moving parts, energy isolation during maintenance, hearing protection and regular monitoring of airborne contaminants.<\/p>\n

Foam production presents risks from flammable chemicals and heat generated during processing. Protective measures include appropriate automatic fire suppression, segregated storage under suitable conditions, separation of heat-processing areas, effective extraction of chemical fumes, and protective equipment selected for skin and respiratory exposure. Eyewash facilities and emergency showers are also needed where chemical splashes may occur.<\/p>\n

Chemical plants require systematic assessment of process hazards, including fire, explosion and releases. Sheraki stresses the need to document and assess changes to equipment or procedures, classify hazardous areas, and use electrical equipment appropriate to those areas. Workers must be able to access and understand safety data sheets.<\/p>\n

Emergency arrangements should address chemical spills and containment. Incompatible substances must be stored separately, and pressure vessels, boilers and pipework require periodic examination by qualified technical bodies.<\/p>\n

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Sheraki warns that safety committees often exist without an effective role: their meetings and decisions remain \u201con paper\u201d. Protection depends on implementing the requirements in the workplace.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He urges establishments to consult the applicable Egyptian building codes and technical requirements of the relevant civil protection authorities rather than treating a general checklist as sufficient for every site.<\/p>\n

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Who is responsible?<\/h2>\n

Khalifa describes responsibilities spread across several authorities. The Labour Ministry inspects working conditions and occupational safety, while local engineering departments and the Interior Ministry\u2019s Civil Defence authorities have responsibilities relating to buildings, installations and fire protection.<\/p>\n

He argues that failures in local oversight allow some establishments to continue operating or adding installations without the necessary approvals. In his account, the Mahalla disaster exemplifies the consequences of this gap between licensing requirements and conditions on the ground.<\/p>\n

Khalifa says informal establishments are particularly difficult to monitor. Manufacturing may take place in residential apartments or small unregistered workshops, beyond the reach of routine inspection. Local authorities, fire-safety officials and labour inspectors therefore need to coordinate rather than allow responsibility to fall between them.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAll these bodies bear responsibility for inspection and for applying the law on the ground to ensure a safe working environment,\u201d Khalifa says.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The International Labour Organization\u2019s guide to basic occupational safety and health principles<\/a> also distributes responsibility among government, employers and workers\u2019 representatives. Governments establish the legal framework and inspection arrangements; employers must implement protective measures; unions and worker representatives contribute through awareness, participation and workplace safety committees.<\/p>\n

Employers\u2019 responsibilities include both protection against specific occupational hazards and basic conditions such as ventilation, lighting and a suitable working environment. Providing protective equipment cannot substitute for addressing the sources of risk.<\/p>\n

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From inspection paperwork to prevention<\/h2>\n

Sheraki argues that a national culture of occupational safety requires coordinated legislation, enforcement and education. Leaving each establishment to act alone is insufficient: government and regulatory bodies must lead a sustained programme.<\/p>\n

He calls for penalties proportionate to the potential consequences of violations and for enforcement that recognises the number of workers affected. Inspection should focus on actual risk, supported by specialised training for inspectors, a national database of workplace incidents, and the ability to act quickly when danger is imminent.<\/p>\n

Safety should also be integrated into technical and vocational education and engineering courses, he says. Consistent training programmes, public awareness campaigns and incentives for strong safety performance could help prevention become a routine part of production.<\/p>\n

At establishment level, Sheraki favours engineering controls and practical changes that reduce exposure, systematic assessment before equipment or materials are changed, and simpler procedures that reduce the likelihood of human error. An occupational safety management system such as ISO 45001 can support documented procedures, risk assessment and internal and external audits, but certification alone does not eliminate hazards.<\/p>\n

Task-specific training, prepared first responders and workers who understand their rights and responsibilities are, in his view, essential to closing the gap between a written safety rule and a workplace where people can earn a living without losing their lives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A fatal textile factory fire in Mahalla exposes the gap between safety rules and enforcement, as responsibilities overlap across labour inspectors, local authorities and Civil Defence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":14558,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[390],"tags":[],"kateb":[6247],"class_list":["post-17231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-human-rights","kateb-rasha-ammar"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u0646\u0633\u062e\u0629-\u0645\u0646-\u0639\u0645\u0627\u0644.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17231"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17231\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17232,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17231\/revisions\/17232"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17231"},{"taxonomy":"kateb","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kateb?post=17231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}