Workplace Safety in India: Issues and Implications

India has witnessed several workplace accidents leading to fatalities and injuries, highlighting serious lapses in safety protocols.

Recent Accidents and Statistics

• In one instance, 40 workers died in a chemical reactor explosion at Sigachi Industries in Telangana on June 30.
• The following day, eight workers perished in an explosion at Gokulesh Fireworks, Tamil Nadu.
• On September 30, a coal-handling plant collapsed at Ennore Thermal Power Station, killing nine workers.

The British Safety Council estimates that one in four fatal workplace accidents globally occur in India, a figure potentially understated due to underreporting, especially among informal workers.

Causes of Accidents

• Employers often neglect safety, leading to preventable hazards.
• Examples include outdated machinery, lack of maintenance, and ignored worker complaints.
• In the Telangana case, the reactor was operating at twice the permissible temperature without alarms or intervention.

Historical and Legal Context

• The Factories Act of 1948 was a cornerstone of labor regulation in India, amended post the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.
• Despite existing laws, enforcement is weak, with inspections often circumvented through bribery.
• Compensation for workplace injuries is minimal, and laws lack provisions for criminal accountability of employers.

Recent Governmental Policies

• Since the 1990s, labor protections have been diluted, with demands for employer flexibility leading to weakened regulations.
• The OSHWC Code, 2020, aims to replace the Factories Act, shifting health and safety from a right to an executive discretion.
• States like Karnataka have increased working hours, reducing rest periods, affecting worker safety.

Conclusion

To ensure worker safety, there is a need for stringent inspections, criminal accountability for employers, and restoration of safety as a statutory right. Safe workplaces are essential not just for worker welfare but for productivity and profits.

Gautam Mody, General Secretary of the New Trade Union Initiative, emphasizes the importance of reinstating workplace safety rights.