CHAPTER-7
7.1 With the continuous increase in the use of machinery, the arrangements for ensuring safety in factories have assumed immense significance. The Factories Act, 1948 has provided for several measures to ensure safety of the workers. Some of these are: (i) Fencing of machines of all sorts is compulsory, (ii) No person is to be employed in any factory to lift, carry or move any load so heavy as to be likely to cause him injury, (iii) If it appears to the Inspector that any building or part of a building or any part of the ways, machinery or plant in a factory is in a condition that it is dangerous to human life or safety, he may serve on the Manager of the factory an order in writing specifying the measure which in his opinion should be adopted and requiring them to be carried out before a stipulated date.
The important measures taken by different Factory Inspectorates in this direction in the year 2002 are summarised below: -
ANDHRA PRADESH
7.2 The Inspectorate made arrangements to educate advise and help the managements in adhering to the statutory provisions of the Act.
ASSAM
7.3 The Inspectorate organised ‘National Safety Day’ and Safety Seminars and imparted safety training to the workers and managements to create safety consciousness The Inspectorate Officers inspected the chemicals and other factories dealing with dangerous operations regularly to examine the safety measures and related control measures, which resulted in reduction of high rise eventualities. The Factories Act provides for setting up of the Safety Committee and this Inspectorate played a major role in setting up 11 Safety Committees in various factories of the State during the year. Most of the factories particularly those carrying out hazardous operations constituted Safety Committee in the factory. In addition to this, Mock-Drills were carried out in major accident hazard units from time to time to give them sufficient practical training to enlighten the workers and managements with the safety measures to be adopted in such eventualities. All of the 13 Major Accident Hazard Units in the state, submitted the on-site emergency plan. Off-site emergency plans are yet to be submitted and they have been asked to submit the same alongwith disclosures of information as required under Section 41-B of the Act.
GOA
7.4 The Inspectorate carried out the safety promotional activities, which included the training course in Industrial Safety and First Aid for different factory workers and I.T.I. students. During the year under report, 92 training programs were conducted to train 1820 persons. The Safety Training Center with safety training facilities, Industrial Hygiene Laboratory, Library etc. were well utilized for practical demonstrations of safety precautions for the benefit of the trainees.
The Inspectorate staff ensures the implementation of the safety measures. Violation of these provisions was found generally in units which were equipped with old machines. Sometimes workers did not take proper care in replacing the guards on the machines after repair work. As a result of this accidents of serious nature have taken place. The state Factory Inspectorate is also conducting various training programmes for the supervisors to educate, advise and train them for maintaining safety guards. In some units which were involved in dangerous operations such as emission of dangerous fumes and dust etc., only exhaust fans were provided while in other units other protective equipment are also provided to the workers for full protection. It is generally found that the workers did not wear protective equipment and goggles. The Inspectorate staff continued to take persuasive and legal steps for enforcing the use of desired equipments. Prosecutions for violations of the safety measures were launched in 337 cases.
MAHARASHTRA
7.6 The State Safety Cell supplements the enforcement machinery to regulate the provisions of safety measures provided under the Factories Act, 1948 in all the factories registered under the Factories Act in the State of Orissa. During 2002, fifteen Safety Training programmes were conducted in different factories in the State. These training programmes benefited 642 workers and shop floor level supervisors. The State cell in collaboration with Multi Disciplinary Centers has conducted 4 Basic First Aid Training Programmes in different industries during the year in which 148 industrial workers were benefitted.
7.7 During the year under report, the Punjab Industrial Safety Council, an autonomous body set up on voluntary basis continued its efforts to develop safety consciousness amongst industrial workers and the employers. It organised safety programmes in different parts of the state in which 722 workers were provided training to utilise various devices.
7.8 To enthuse the managements for better safety performance, State Safety Awards are presented to the managements every year based on their performance in reducing accidents in their factories. For a better comparison, the factories are classified into 3 groups depending upon the man-hours worked and awards are presented to factories for highest reduction in Accident Frequency Rate when compared with the previous year. Every year, 90 managements are given first prize (silver shields) worth Rs. 2,500/- each and 90 managements are given second prize (silver shields) worth Rs.1,500/- each. To encourage the workers to actively participate in the accident prevention every year, awards popularly styled as “Tamizhaga Arasin Uyarantha Uzhaipalar Virudhu” in Tamil are presented to workmen for their outstanding and useful suggestions for the improvement of safety standards, working environment and increase in productivity. During the year 2002, 261 Safety Courses were conducted, benefiting 7757 workers. Twenty eight Safety Surveys were conducted during the year in factories reporting large number of accidents and findings of the surveys have been communicated to the managements of the factories for compliance.
TRIPURA
7.9 In the striking gear and device for cutting power (Section 24), arrangements were found to be satisfactory except new factories for which remedial measures have been instructed. Fencing of machinery (Section 21) was found to be not satisfactory in all factories. Prosecutions were launched against violation. Compliance against protection in case of fire was found to be satisfactory except violations in few cases.
7.10 In factories, which were equipped with old machines, violation of the provisions of fencing of Machinery was generally found. Sometimes, even workers did not take proper care in replacing the guard on the machines after repair work. As a result, accidents of various nature took place. However, the managements are being persuaded to take suitable steps to avoid industrial accidents. In cases where units were involved in operations such as emission of dangerous fumes and dust, etc., exhaust fans were provided. Workers were issued protective equipments and safety goggles.
7.11 With a view to arrest the increasing trend of accidents in factories, the Inspectorate Staff continued to have close liaison and personal discussions with the managements. As a result, the total number of accidents was significantly brought down. Seventy three factories were benefited by giving lectures, Audio Visual Aids such as screening of safety films, slides, etc. to create safety awareness among the workers benefited 3828 factory workers. The Inspectorate has continued to publish quarterly bulletin namely “Pondicherry Industrial Safety News” during the year 2002, which contains causes of the accidents, remedial measures based on the accidents occurred, safety related matters, articles, etc.