This study was conducted to see whether fatalism is an important factor in explaining occupational acci-dents among medical waste operatives in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Data were collected using a variety of qual-itative techniques and included observation, formal and informal dialogue. Sampling strategies included
formal representative sampling, purposive and authoritative sampling. Employers did not supply PPE or
offer training to their staff. Most workers (73%) did not wear PPE regularly, and a further 18% wore only
insufficient PPE. Consequently, most waste workers (95%) reported that they had experienced occupa-tional accidents, mostly (75%) from used needles and other sharps. These observations were associated
with fatalistic beliefs among the participants, both managers and employees, who attributed these events
to ‘‘ fate ’’ reflecting their perceived lack of control over such accidents. This study reveals many examples
of a lack of organisational awareness that can occur within a culture of fatalism.