Vizag gas leak | Panel calls for changes to factory safety rules

Image: ANI

The High Powered Committee investigating the gas leak at the LG Polymers plant in Visakhapatnam has called for changes to factory safety regulations.

The panel has suggested setting up factory safety boards at the central and state levels to revamp factory safety norms in the country, BusinessLine reported.
The safety boards would be framed along the lines of the Central and State Pollution Control Boards (CPCB and SPCB).

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On May 12, a styrene gas leak at LG Polymers plant in Visakhapatnam killed 12 people and injured hundreds. The Andhra Pradesh police arrested 12 employees of LG Polymers, including the chief executive officer, in relation to the incident.IndustryAll, a global union representing workers in the energy, mining and manufacturing sectors, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to prevent a breakdown of safety rules to prevent catastrophes.

"We have suggested the setting up of factory safety boards in each State and at the Centre, which will bring under its ambit each and every factory safety law which is right now located in various departments and various ministries such as Factories Act, Indian Boiler Act, Explosives Act, the Petroleum Act, etc," Neerabh Prasad, Special Chief Secretary in Charge of Environment, told the paper.