CityLightBuzz: The Telangana government is committed to ensuring the highest safety standards across industries and will take strict measures to prevent industrial accidents, said Labour, Employment, Training & Factories and Mines Minister Dr. Vivek Venkataswamy.
The Minister was speaking after inaugurating a two-day national-level workshop on “Process Safety of Combustible Dusts”, organised by the National Safety Council Telangana Chapter at the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI), Lakdikapul. He also unveiled a special publication on combustible dust safety.
Vivek Venkataswamy stressed that safety must be the first priority in every industry and called for a strong safety culture involving the government, managements and workers. He expressed concern over accidents caused by combustible dust, gas leaks and other hazardous industrial conditions despite the availability of comprehensive safety regulations.
Referring to the Sigachi incident, the Minister said it should serve as a warning to every industrial establishment. He emphasised that spending on safety should be treated as an investment rather than an expense, as neglecting safety measures can result in loss of lives as well as huge financial losses.
He directed companies to conduct a dedicated review of industrial safety at every board meeting and ensure continuous monitoring of safety standards by factory occupiers and board members. He also stressed the importance of regular safety training, adoption of new technologies and implementation of global best practices.
The Minister specifically instructed officials not to deploy contract workers in high-risk operations. He directed the Factories Department to formulate appropriate regulations within six
months to ensure that permanent employees with adequate training and experience handle hazardous operations.
He further instructed the Director of Factories to prepare and implement specialised safety guidelines covering combustible dust, gas leaks and other industrial hazards.
Vivek Venkataswamy made it clear that the government would not compromise on the safety of workers and would continue taking stringent measures to prevent industrial accidents.
Around 300 representatives from various sectors, including cement, food processing, coal and textiles, along with senior industry officials and safety experts, participated in the workshop.
