During inspections of 350 public parks in six Tehran districts by the Safety Committee of the Tehran City Council, nearly 10,000 hazards in terms of health, safety and environment were identified.
Based on the committee report, 7,000 are a threat to the people’s health and safety and 3,000 are damaging to the environment; 65% of the problems were categorized as physical harm risks, including sharp edges, substandard elevation variance in pathways, lack of lights, noise pollution and hanging electricity cables, among others.
With 21% and 29% respectively, the risks of electrocution and non-potable water topped the list of physical harm, the committee said.
In a talk to ISNA, Masoumeh Abad, head of the committee, referred to fountains as one of the most dangerous sections of parks due to the conjunction of water and electricity.
“Fountains and stairways with insufficient lighting are among the points of danger in parks since they can cause distressing accidents,” she said. Constant monitoring is required to ensure the maintenance of safety in parks as risky situations can occur over time.
Pointing to the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Management system which is in charge of monitoring the state of public gardens and identifying their possible risks, the official said it has no executive power and can only inform the relevant organizations to address the hazards.
The supervision of parks was put on the agenda following the death of a 13-year-old boy in the fountain of Alghadir Park in the east of Tehran last month. According to Hassan Abbasi, head of Tehran’s Emergency Service, the boy, who was trying to retrieve his ball that had fallen in the pond, was electrocuted and lost his life. The incident sparked demands for strong safety measures in public places.
Role of HSE
HSE is an umbrella term for the laws, rules, guidance and processes designed to help protect employees, the public and the environment from harm. The responsibilities for designing and implementing appropriate procedures is often assigned to a specific department, often called the “HSE” department which is responsible for environmental protection and public health and safety. HSE management has two general objectives: prevention of incidents or accidents that might result from abnormal operating conditions and reduction of adverse effects that result from normal operating conditions.
From a health and safety standpoint, it involves creating organized efforts and procedures for identifying hazards and reducing accidents and exposure to harmful situations and substances. It also includes training of personnel in accident prevention and response, emergency preparedness, and use of protective clothing and equipment.
From an environmental standpoint, it involves creating a systematic approach to complying with environmental regulations, such as managing waste or air emissions and consumption patterns.
