Telangana Mandates Rule Change to Mitigate Combustible Dust Hazards
Minister Gaddam Vivek Venkat Swamy ordered the Department of Factories to codify international safety standards into law. The directive aims to eliminate the use of contract labor in hazardous zones and implement systematic risk management.
Regulatory Overhaul for Industrial Dust Safety
Gaddam Vivek Venkat Swamy, Minister for Skill, Human Capital and Knowledge Training Initiatives (SHAKTI), has instructed the Department of Factories to overhaul existing regulations by integrating global best practices for combustible dust management. During a two-day workshop titled ‘Process Safety of Combustible Dusts’ in Hyderabad on Wednesday, the Minister emphasized that the safety of the workforce is an absolute priority that precludes any compromise.
Strict Prohibition on Contract Labor in High-Risk Zones
In a significant policy directive, the Minister stated that contract workers must be barred from participating in hazardous operations. He called for industrial leaders to move beyond basic compliance, urging the adoption of sophisticated technology and recurring training modules for all permanent staff. The event, hosted by the National Safety Council (NSC) Telangana Chapter in partnership with the Department of Factories, served as the launchpad for a new technical handbook dedicated to dust safety protocols.
Risk Assessment and Industry-Wide Training
Harichandana Dasari, Secretary of the SHAKTI department, advocated for a shift toward integrated preventive maintenance and robust emergency preparedness. She noted that companies must prioritize systematic hazard identification to prevent catastrophic failures. Highlighting the scale of current efforts, Director of Factories and NSC Telangana Chairman Y. Mohan Babu reported that a “train-the-trainer” initiative has already reached approximately 70,000 factory employees throughout the state.
- Total Attendance: 300 delegates from chemical, pharmaceutical, and food processing sectors.
- Target Industries: Cement, coal milling, and other dust-prone manufacturing environments.
- Primary Goal: Bridging the gap between government standards and industry execution through knowledge exchange.
The workshop serves as a technical forum for 300 representatives from Telangana’s heavy industries. As industrial accidents involving combustible dust pose both long-term health risks and immediate explosive threats, the state government maintains that these measures are necessary to safeguard human life within the industrial sector.
Source: The Hindu — Home
