The recurring industrial accidents in Visakhapatnam have brought to the fore the urgency of the setting up of Factories Safety Board (FSB) which would be entrusted with the responsibility of the implementation and monitoring of the safety norms at factories.
The high-power committee that probed into the styrene monomer leak at LG Polymers has recommended the setting up of the FSB. The panel, in its 400-page report, has dedicated a chapter on the FSB, highlighting its need and relevance.
In the last three months, the city has witnessed three industrial accidents that claimed 15 lives and left 600 persons hospitalised. First the styrene leak at LG Polymers, then leakage of hydrogen sulphide at Sainor Life Sciences Private Limited and the latest is the major fire at Visakha Solvents on Monday night.
“The high-power committee has suggested the setting up of a Central Factories Safety Board (CFSB) and State Factories Safety Board (SFSB),” said panel chairman Neerabh Kumar Prasad.
Mr. Prasad pointed out that many departments such as Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), Inspector of Factories and Inspector Boilers were looking into various aspects of industrial safety at present.
Problems of plenty
“Individually, all these organisations are weak and lack the required capacity. Moreover, having multiple bodies make things difficult when it comes to accountability. Our idea is to have single umbrella organisation to look into all the safety issues at factories,” explained Mr. Prasad.
During the probe into the LG Polymers accident, he said, the panel found a number of shortcomings pertaining to safety monitoring.
Mr. Prasad also said that safety audit by one organisation would stand good both for the government and the companies, as accountability could be fixed, adding that making safety training mandatory for all factories was the need of the hour.
Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar Meena, who was also a part of the HPC, said the common observation in all the recent accidents was that the factory employees lacked training in emergency management and had poor awareness on the safety norms.
“Pre-induction training, safety mock drills and crisis management should be made mandatory for all industrial units. We have recommended it in our report,” said Mr. Meena.