A deadly explosion at a ₹500-crore chemical industrial facility in Andhra Pradesh in June’25, reportedly triggered by a dryer malfunction in the quality control unit, raises serious questions about industrial safety and regulatory enforcement. The incident ignites a debate on workplace safety. Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident. Data from the Labour Bureau shows that nearly 10,000 workers died and around 60,000 were injured in factories across India between 2008 and 2021. As per the data from IndustriALL, at least 240 workplace accidents occurred in the manufacturing, mining, and energy sectors, resulting in over 400 fatalities and more than 850 serious injuries in 2024 alone. These incidents reflect a deeper, systemic failure in workplace safety regulation. Evidence points to widespread negligence of safety protocols, weak oversight mechanisms, inadequate factory inspections, and the extensive involvement of untrained workers.
Companies should not treat compliance with worker safety norms as an additional cost but as a core value. India already has a robust legal framework for worker safety in place, what’s needed is proactive compliance by companies. From the Factories Act to the Explosives Act, 1884 and Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016 to various state-specific laws like the Andhra Pradesh Fire Service Act, 1999; a factory is subjected to numerous compliance requirements right from the outset of its operations.
For instance, a factory operating in the state of Andhra Pradesh must comply with nearly 1,100 regulatory obligations across categories of which over 130 relate to Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) and approximately 225 to labour-related compliances. These obligations are not just procedural, they form the backbone of workplace safety and risk prevention. From obtaining a Fire NOC under the Andhra Pradesh Fire Service Act, 1999 to the maintenance of pressure vessels and provision of protective equipment under the Factories Act, every measure is designed to prevent such accidents. Factories must implement strong fire and safety protocols ranging from fire exit plans, flame-proof fittings, and extinguisher maintenance to CCTV surveillance and trained emergency staff. Regular inspections of equipment like hoists, lifts, and pressure vessels, along with visible safety signage and records in prescribed forms, are crucial to ensure worker protection and regulatory compliance.
An illustrative list of workplace safety compliances under Labour and EHS category for a factory operating in Andhra Pradesh is as follows:
Displaying framed plan showing the location of fire extinguishers and other useful information near the entrance of the premises
Maintaining register of yearly examinations of lifting machine and lifting tackle in Form 37
Attaching a tag or label to fire extinguisher indicating the month and year of its recharge
Placement of fire extinguishers either in trolley or mount it on walls
Conducting annual Inspection of fire extinguishers
Maintenance of Humidity Register for recording temperature of the hygrometer
Application for renewal of a license in Form F for storage of compressed gases
Flammable articles or substances attracting fire not to be used in premises where cylinders are filled, stored or handled
Providing first aid firefighting equipment for all classes of fire (A-E)
Holding fire fighting drill once in every 2 months
Carrying half yearly systematic non-destructive test of pressure plant/vessel where external and hydrostatic examination is impracticable
Annual examination of all parts of lifting machines
Ensuring gas cylinder is labelled with name of the gas Maintain emergency handling equipments, kits and protective equipments in gas storage shed
Ensuring storage room or shed for cylinder is of fire resistant construction
Application for grant of licence in Form 5 and filing periodical returns in Form No. 15 once in every 6 months
Workers and public living in vicinity of factory to be informed about safety measures to be taken in case of accident
Electronic Devices Cameras to run 24 x 7 Cameras to cover approach areas at entry and exit points of establishment and entry and exit points of parking lots of establishment
Renewal of Fire license Annual testing of Safety Relief valves
Licensee shall ensure that safety relief valves are tested by a competent person, third party inspection agency, at least once in a year for correct operation and obtain the certificate of such testing in the prescribed proforma generated through PESO’s online system.
Displaying warning notices Application for renewal of licence issued in Form LS-1A.
There are approximately 75 acts and rules applicable to a factory operating in the state of Andhra Pradesh, an illustrative list of acts prescribing workplace safety-related compliances is as follows:
Andhra Pradesh Fire Service Act, 1999 and Andhra Pradesh Fire and Emergency Operations and Levy of Fee Rules, 2006
Andhra Pradesh Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1987, and Andhra Pradesh Labour Welfare Fund Rules, 1988
Andhra Pradesh Public Safety (Measures)
Enforcement Act, 2013 and Andhra Pradesh Public Safety (Measures) Enforcement Rules, 2014
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 & Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 & Manufacture, Storage & Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and CPCB's Order on Display of online data on Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022
Explosives Act, 1884 and Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016
Factories Act, 1948 & Andhra Pradesh Factories Rules, 1950
In addition to these pre-defined safety requirements, labour and EHS (Environment, Health, and Safety) categories also account for the highest number of inspections, but according to the Economic Survey 2024-25, there are only 644 working inspectors to oversee compliance in 3,21,578 factories. This means one inspector oversees 500 factories, which is an example of an extreme manpower crunch. According to DGFASLI, even in a highly industrialised state like Maharashtra, the gap is stark; out of 105 sanctioned posts, only 30 factory inspectors are currently in position. India's regulatory capacity faces critical gaps due to a shortage of inspection personnel, inadequate testing infrastructure, outdated compliance processes, and fragmented state-level regulations. Key regulatory domains such as legal metrology (weights and measures standardization), electrical safety (compliance with electrical hazard protections), and elevator safety (technical regulations for installation and maintenance) suffer from inspection backlogs.
The tragic incident serves as a grave reminder of what can happen when such safeguards are ignored or superficially implemented. A strong culture of compliance must be inculcated in the organisations and the tone must be set from the top. Compliance with these regulations serves as a critical measure to ensure worker safety and operational continuity. Whether or not the government introduces stricter enforcement, companies must not shy away from fulfilling their safety obligations.