View or download this document in: English / Dhivehi
18 December 2024
We express our deep concerns regarding the recent fire at the Ministry of Housing, Land, and Urban Development, which also affected neighboring government offices, including the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, and the Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure, Vital Registration Office of the Male’ City Council, which manages essential records, including birth registrations and population data, as well as businesses and private residences.
While we are grateful that there were no human casualties or injuries reported, this incident underscores the existing threat to life, property and the environment due to the ad hoc and unplanned building landscape in Male’ City. Incidents such as these also highlight the importance of having strong building codes and institutions adhering to these building codes especially, to ensure the safety and resilience of critical government facilities. These incidents also shed light on the need to have secure and fireproof infrastructures to ensure the safety of the staff, as well as the critical data within the institutions which in turn will sustain uninterrupted services.
It is also worth noting that past concerns have been raised about the structural integrity of the Ministry of Housing, Land, and Urban Development building, which is constructed primarily of tin. These concerns, including reports of water leaks and electrical short circuits, underscore longstanding vulnerabilities that compromise the safety of the building and its occupants. Such complaints must be taken more seriously in the future, with proactive measures implemented to address structural deficiencies and minimize the risk of accidents. Ensuring that government buildings meet sufficient safety and resilience standards is essential to protect employees, the public, and vital government services from preventable hazards.
While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, this incident emphasizes the importance of addressing such vulnerabilities and strengthening overall safety measures. We call on all relevant stakeholders to implement the following recommendations:
- Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations: The Occupational Safety and Health Act (Act No.2/2024), ratified on 2 January 2024, provides a crucial framework for ensuring workplace safety and the structural resilience of facilities. However, timely implementation and compliance remain critical to achieving its objectives. To ensure a safe and accident-free work place we call to:
- Strengthen the enforcement of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and pursuant regulations and guidelines, including establishing:
- Standards for workplace safety and emergency response.
- Clear protocols for mitigating risks associated with hazardous equipment or operations.
- Regular training and awareness on workplace safety, fire prevention, and emergency response protocols to minimize risks and improve readiness.
- Fireproofing and Infrastructure Resilience:
- Relocate sensitive public records, such as birth registration data, to secure and fireproof facilities, including the digitization of all critical records.
- Review and upgrade the structural integrity of buildings to address known issues such as water damage and electrical faults.
- Improved Monitoring and Compliance:
- Strengthen mechanisms to monitor adherence to workplace safety standards, ensuring that all facilities comply with OSHA provisions.
- Implement regular safety audits and risk assessments for buildings, with transparent reporting to ensure accountability.
- Data Protection Measures:
- Establish robust disaster recovery systems to safeguard critical public records and minimize service disruptions in the event of future incidents.
- Take measures to continuously maintain off-site backups and disaster recovery systems, to ensure the continuity of services and safeguard public records.
We urge all stakeholders—state and non-state actors alike—to work collaboratively in improving safety, transparency, and accountability across workplaces. It is essential to take proactive measures to secure facilities and protect staff and service seekers as well as communities living in the neighborhood in order to avoid such incidents in the future and ensure public trust.
-ENDS-