New York Times editorial examines Wal-Mart's new stance on fire safety

Bangladeshi firefighters battle a fire at a garment factory in the Savar neighborhood in Dhaka, Bangladesh. (Photo: AP/Wide World)

A recent story in NFPA Journal underscored a record-setting factory fire in Bangladesh that killed more than 100 workers. The November blaze has prompted Wal-Mart, which purchases more than $1 billion in garments from this country annually, according to The New York Times, to adopt a "zero-tolerance" policy for sub-par safety standards at factories where the company purchases its clothes.

But does this new policy do enough to protect workers? In a recent editorial, the Times states that Wal-Mart will now implement periodic safety audits at factories and will "cut them off" if plants are not adhering to safety protocols, which include keeping exits unobstructed and conducting safety training. "Wal-Mart needs to do much more," states the editorial. "It should require fireproof exits and external fire escapes, which are the most effective way to get people out of a burning building safely. What's [also] needed is an independent and robust inspection system that is legally enforceable and run by safety professionals."

Read the rest of the editorial, and voice your own opinions in the comments section below. We'd love to hear them.