Call for open talk on factory safety; workers urged to flag issues without fear

Director of Factories B.Rajagopala Rao has sought to underscore the significance of company managements promoting a culture of free and frank discussion on safety in factories among employees.

“Every worker should have the courage and commitment to discuss unsafe conditions and actions during safety committee meetings. No one should hesitate to flag issues. There should be no deviation from standard operating procedures and rules even if there is a delay in completing the task,” said Mr.Rao, who is also the chairman of National Safety Council, Telangana Chapter.

The emphasis should be on inculcating safety culture with self-regulation and self-discipline, the senior official told a two-day workshop on ‘Behaviour-based safety management and safety culture’ that got under way here on Monday.

Behaviour-based safety in any factory is possible only when the top management is committed to a strong safety culture, Mr.Rao said, conveying condolences to families of workers who died in a major explosion and fire at the facility of Sigachi Industries in Pashamylaram, Sangareddy district, on June 30.

National Safety Council, Headquarters, Navi Mumbai, is organising the workshop in collaboration with State Chapter and Department of Factories, Telangana government, at FTCCI premises, the organisers said.

Director General of NSC Lalit R.Gabhane said good safety practices can be achieved by making it a priority for every employee. NSC Board of Governors M.B. Vijaya Kumar Yadav and Joint Chief Inspector of Factories Y.Mohan Babu also spoke.