The improper storage of hazardous chemicals in more than 100 chemical units functioning in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) zone of Badlapur and Ambernath is the major cause of repeated fires in the factories, said fire officials.
Activists blamed the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health for not conducting regular safety audits in the industries.
Fire officials said that they have received around 25 calls for major fire incidents from Badlapur and Ambernath MIDC in the past two years. In a year, the fire brigade receives around 15 calls for major fires and explosions in factories.
The fire accidents highlight violation of fire-safety norms in most factories.
On January 22, a 52-year-old worker died in a major fire in Badlapar and four were injured. The blast took place in an Aminophenol Processor of a rotary vacuum dryer unit.
A fire officer from Ambernath fire department said, “One of the major causes of fire in the MIDC factories is improper storage of chemical products. The chemicals are stored in drums which easily catch fire after coming into contact with any flammable substance in the vicinity.”
As per fire officials, the chemicals are supposed to be stored in ventilated cabinets. Each drums in which chemical is stored needs to be labelled properly and should not come in contact with any machines.
{{/usCountry}}As per fire officials, the chemicals are supposed to be stored in ventilated cabinets. Each drums in which chemical is stored needs to be labelled properly and should not come in contact with any machines.
{{/usCountry}}Officials said chemicals should be stored outside the company premises.
Bhagat Sonone, fire officer, Ambernath, said, “It is true that hazardous chemicals are stored anywhere by companies. We have found these chemicals stored near boilers in some cases. The companies need to have a proper storage area for such chemicals so that they are not near a flammable liquid.”
There are around 200 factories in the Ambernath and Badlapur MIDC area, out of which, 70 are textile factories while the rest are mostly chemical units. More than 50,000 workers work across MIDC in Kalyan, Dombivli, Ambernath and Badlapur.
Satyajit Burman, an activist from Ambernath, said, “The department, which is meant for monitoring safety measures in the industries, does not conduct a regular audit of industries. The safety norms are merely on paper.”
Burman said the quantity of chemical products stored in the factories is much more than the permissible limit. “If a company is allowed 10 drums of chemical on the premises, it will store 100 drums that too placed randomly in the factory,” he said.
Ambernath MIDC is divided into two areas —Anand Nagar with new factories and Morivli which has old companies. There are around 50 chemical factories in Morivli and the same number of chemical factories at Anand Nagar.
The fire officer added, “The Anand Nagar MIDC has new factories. Morivli area has factories which are 50 years old. As per our observation, the new factories abide by the safety norms but those in Morivli do not.”
Activists from the city claim that there is no regular fire safety audit done by the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health.
An environment activist from Badlapur, requesting anonymity, said, “Most factories in Badlapur and Ambernath are small. The safety officers hardly conduct a check. They just ask the owners to submit a report, which is accepted as final report. No one cross-checks the report.”
The industrial safety department said they do not have sufficient manpower to carry out regular audit.
An officer from Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health department, Kalyan, requesting anonymity said, “We do inspect factories regularly however it takes time to check all of them and submit a report. We are short of manpower so safety audits take time. One officer has to inspect at least 500 factories a year.”
“We cover Dombivli, Bhiwandi, Ambernath, Badlapur, Shahapur and Murbad. This means we have to check at least 2,500 factories in these areas,” said the officer.
He added that the state has sanctioned seven posts, out of which, four has been filled and the rest is vacant. Presently, there is one joint director and three directors working in the department, while three posts of assistant director are vacant.
The association of industries claimed that they carry out regular training sessions for workers teaching them on how to handle chemicals.
“Workers are given lessons on safety at work. The sessions are conducted by the association along with the industrial safety officers and owners of the companies,” said Deven Soni, president of Kalyan Ambernath Manufacturers Association (KAMA).
‘No hospital to treat burn cases’
Factory workers have said even as fire incidents are common, there is no facility to treat burn victims. All these burn victims are rushed to National Burns Hospital in Airoli, Navi Mumbai, which is an hour away.
Sandeep Mane, 36, a worker from Ambernath industrial area, said, “There is a need to have a burns centre near the industrial belt so that accident victims get treatment on time.