Industrial accidents in Tirupur cluster have come down by over 75 per cent in five years following increased awareness on safety and occupational health in the sector, according to C. Gnanasekara Baburao, Director (Tamil Nadu) of Industrial Safety and Health.
“The Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health is now conducting at least 10 classes every month to educate unit owners and workers on the methodologies to minimise the accidents and health hazards. This is apart from holding mass seminars once in three months,” he told The Hindu on the sidelines of a seminar organised by the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health, and National Safety Council on industrial safety and health here.
He pointed out that even the fire accidents happened in the recent times at places like Sivakasi had lesser fatalities which, too, could be attributed to the rising awareness level on ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ that need to be followed when a fire breaks out. The crusades conducted by the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health also reiterate the need for units to carry out external audits using the services of firms that were certified by the Directorate General of Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes.
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“Conducting such audits give value-addition to the units and foreign buyers are also now more keen on having the units comply with all industrial safety and health norms,” Mr. Baburao said.