Ensure zero accident at factories, Labour Minister tells companies

Minister for Labour, Employment, Training and Factories Gaddam Vivek Venkat Swamy called upon companies to set and achieve the goal of zero accident at factories.

Safety should not be forgotten in the rush of production. The cost of investment in safety is far less compared to loss due to accidents, he told the 55th National Safety Day organised here by the Department of Factories in collaboration with the National Safety Council, Telangana Chapter.

Mr. Vivek Venkat Swamy, who is also Minster for Mines and Geology, said industrial safety is important for achieving the Telangana Rising plans unveiled by the Chief Minister. Safety issues related to factories should be placed by companies for discussion at their board of directors meetings to ensure a positive decision on safety, he said.

Special Chief Secretary to Labour, Employment, Training and Factories department M. Dana Kishore stressed on the 4Cs concept — control, communication, co-operation and competency for safety. He urged the managements and workers to ensure safe working conditions at workplaces. The senior official also highlighted the need for skilling of employees through training and called for development of safe operating procedures for workers to follow. He advised the managements to invest on safety interlocks, alarms to warn and mitigate hazards.

Director of Factories Y. Mohan Babu said the National Safety Day theme of Engage, Educate and Empower is not a slogan but a roadmap for sustainable safety movement across industries. He requested the managements to engage workers through safety committees to discuss on safety issues and also educate workers by induction and periodical training programmes.

Officers of the Factories department, National Safety Council Telangana Chapter Secretary V.V. Sasi Kumar participated in the programme, whose participants included factory management, employees, school children and women from different parts of the State, the organisers said in a release on Thursday.