In the light of January 31st accident at a Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at Ranipet that claimed the lives of 10 persons, the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health, Government of Tamil Nadu has asked members of CETPs to undertake monthly checks and also come up with an on-site emergency plan for each plant.
Ten tannery workers drowned in toxic sludge after a wall of a Secure Landfill Facility of the CETP collapsed.
It was to prevent such accidents that the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health along with National Safety Council, Salem Regional Sub-Committee, TN chapter organised a training programme on Safety Management in Leather Industries on Friday.
Experts elaborated on various measures to be taken to turn tanneries and effluent treatment plants into safe environs. “The Ranipet tragedy turned the nation’s attention to safety practices at tanneries. Prevention is better than cure, hence safe operating procedures should be followed to prevent such accidents, said C. Gnanasekara Babu Rao, director of Industrial Safety and Health, Government of Tamil Nadu.
The accident at Ranipet CETP, he said, occurred as hydrostatic pressure had developed in the SLF due to storage of slurry (liquid form) and not sludge (solid), leading to wall collapse.
For this, he wanted members of CETPs to ensure regular monitoring. “A committee should see to the proper maintenance of the plants. Two or three persons should take up monthly checks to identify unsafe conditions. The outflow of effluents from factories and inflow into the plant should be checked to identify bottlenecks. How much solid waste is there should be looked into. Even minute details should be checked,”
Every effluent treatment should have an on-site emergency plan, he said, adding, “The chemicals, their toxicity levels should be recorded. The Material Safety Data Sheet should be maintained by recording the physical and chemical properties of materials involved, what hazards it can cause such as eye and skin irritation and skin diseases.”
Care for workers
“Health hazards can occur in plenty if there is no monitoring. Tannery owners should ensure that personal protective equipment is provided for workers and that they are used. Contract employees should be involved for the work they are recruited for as they do not know safety operating measures,” he said.
When inter-State workers such as from Orissa and West Bengal are recruited, he said that communication barrier is a hurdle and urged tannery owners to take measures to bridge such gaps.
Safety as habit
Noting that accidents do not happen but are caused, he said tanneries should not be target-oriented but should put in place proper safety measures. “Tanneries should develop safety habits. Safe practices should be in place in tanneries and effluent treatment plants. Prepare a pre check-list for the factories,” he added.
Mr. Rao emphasised that safety is not expenditure but a profit-making venture.
R.K. Elangovan, deputy director general, Directorate General, Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes, Mumbai said it was the owners’ responsibility to improve safety as industrial accidents go against human rights.
“Infrastructure should be created for safety management in industries. Tannery accidents have been happening and we do have knowledge and means to prevent such accidents. All that is required is effort and plan,” he noted.
Bill
The Union government is in the process of bringing out Small Factories Bill 2014 for small factories consisting of 40 workers, he added.
S. Ponsingh Mohan Ram, additional director of Industrial Safety and Health, Salem and C.R. Durairaj, coordinator, National Safety Council, Salem Regional Sub Committee were present.
