The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), on December 24, 2025, issued a circular reiterating strict compliance with fire safety and electrical safety measures across all ESI establishments, including ESIC hospitals, medical/dental colleges, regional and sub-regional offices. The advisory refers to multiple earlier instructions and comprehensive guidelines issued from time to time, and draws attention to recent fire incidents, including the tragic fire at SMS Hospital, Jaipur (October 5, 2025), and the ESIC Hospital Andheri fire (December 17, 2018).
ESIC has directed all field units to immediately identify and rectify faults in electrical and fire safety systems, renew mandatory Fire Safety NOCs, conduct periodic inspections and mock drills, ensure barrier-free emergency exits, and maintain all fire-fighting systems under valid AMC/CMC. Special emphasis has been placed on addressing risks arising from electrical faults, short circuits, and system overloading, and on conducting “Anti-Fire Drives” involving awareness, inspections, and follow-up reviews to ensure optimal readiness.
The circular notes that Action Taken Reports (ATRs) from several units are still pending. Accordingly, all units are required to submit ATRs with compliance status within 15 days (as per Annexure-A). Regional Offices must compile reports from all ESIC-owned buildings, including State-run hospitals, and forward consolidated reports to Headquarters, followed by regular quarterly reporting. ESIC has underscored that full compliance is critical to safeguarding the lives of patients, staff, and visitors.
[File No. W-11/12/1/MISC/2023-PMD]
