Industrial accidents: 3 workers die daily; safety norms are ignored

A disturbing trend in industrial safety has come to light, with an average of three workers losing their lives every day in factory-related accidents across India, raising serious concerns over workplace safety standards.

According to data from the Directorate General Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes (DGFASLI), only about 10 per cent of factories in the country have implemented formal safety policies. Even more alarming is the fact that safety officers are present in merely 2 per cent of these establishments.

The issue has gained urgency following two recent factory accidents in the past 15 days that claimed 49 workers’ lives, prompting renewed scrutiny of industrial conditions and enforcement mechanisms.

As per official data available up to 2023, India has 3,34,000 registered factories employing over 19.1 million workers.