IAS/UPSC Coaching Institute  

09 Aug 2025 : Industrial accidents, the human cost of indifference

Editorial 1: ​​Industrial accidents, the human cost of indifference

Context

Recent tragedies like Sigachi and Tamil Nadu reveal a deep national crisis.

 

Introduction

After spending 37 years in India’s oil and energy sector, this writer has witnessed firsthand the inner workings of factories, refineries, and chemical plants across the country. The tragic aftermath of industrial accidents has been seen up close—not as distant events, but as raw human tragedies. These incidents are not acts of fate; they result from choices—poor decisions made by individuals, institutions, and systems that fail to care. Recent disasters, such as the explosions at Sigachi Industries in Telangana and the firecracker unit tragedy in Tamil Nadu, are not isolated incidents. They are symptoms of a deeper, ongoing national crisis.
 

A universe is shattered every time

  • In the past five years, at least 6,500 workers have died in India’s factories, construction sites, and mines, according to government and Right to Information reports. This equals almost three fatalities every day in a growing economy during peacetime.
  • Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu alone have seen over 200 deaths from major industrial accidents in the last decade. The real numbers, especially from unregistered or informal sectors, are likely much higher but rarely reported.
  • Each fatality represents more than just a statistic — it means a breadwinner lost, a child orphaned, and families plunged into trauma and poverty. The writer has personally witnessed the aftermath: empty seats in canteens and anxious families waiting outside plant gates.
  • A 2022 study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found that India experienced over 130 major chemical accidents within 30 months post-2020, resulting in 218 deaths and over 300 injuries. Most incidents occurred in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), often operating beyond strict regulatory scrutiny.
  • Many deaths are due to basic, preventable causes such as:
    • Factories running without a fire No-Objection Certificate (NOC).
    • Lack of functional firefighting equipment like alarms, sensors, and extinguishers.
    • Absence of a permit-to-work system, leading to unsafe handling of high-risk jobs without hazard assessments.
    • No training, especially for migrant and contract workers who may not understand safety signs or protocols due to language barriers.
    • Fire exits that are blocked, locked, or hidden behind storage materials.
    • Lack of accountability, where audits are superficial, convictions rare, and penalties minimal

Not a core value

Issue

Description & Comparison

Safety Culture in Large Corporates

Operational excellence often overshadows basic safety culture. Countries like Germany and Japanembed safety deeply into industrial design and workplace culture. In contrast, India treats safety mostly as a compliance hurdle, not a core value.

State-wise Safety Records

While attention focuses on Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, other states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Uttar Pradesh also have poor safety records. For example, Gujarat had over 60 major industrial fires and gas leaks in 2021.

Industrial Accident Statistics

According to DGFASLI, India faces one serious industrial accident every two days in registered factories. The safety status of unregistered units remains unknown.

Recurring Pattern After Accidents

The cycle repeats: tragedy, outrage, compensation, committee formation, and then silence. The root causes remain unaddressed, and the next accident is imminent.

Causes of the Cycle

This cycle is fueled by national indifference: public silence, regulator inertia, and companies’ cost-cutting, which view safety as overhead, not obligation. Contract workers are treated as disposable.

Class Bias in Safety Enforcement

There is a class bias where safety lapses in high-profile places like corporate headquarters or software parks get more attention, while migrant workers, contract laborers, and the economically voiceless are undervalued and ignored.

 

The phrase ‘act of god’

  • The phrase “act of God” is often used, sounding almost biblical, as a way to distance ourselves from responsibility.
  • However, these disasters are not divine punishment; they are man-made.
  • A National Geographic documentary highlighted that industrial accidents worldwide arise not from chance but from negligence and failed systems.
  • Countries like South Korea and Singapore have introduced corporate manslaughter laws that hold senior executives criminally accountable for major safety failures.
  • India needs to start this important conversation.
  • This is more than just a plea for regulatory reform or better audits; it is a call for a collective conscience.
  • As citizens, industry leaders, media, and policymakers, we must declare: “We care.”

Conclusion

We must hold companies accountable while also strengthening our labour safety boards, digitising risk reporting, and ensuring whistle-blower protection. For every worker who risks their life and limb to keep our industries running, we must firmly affirm a vital truth: industrial safety is not a favour; it is a right. The question is not whether we have the means to prevent these tragedies — we do. The real question is whether we care enough to act. Or will we, through silence and resignation, continue to prove the unspoken indictment true: who cares?