Occupational safety failures blamed for 12 worker deaths in Visakhapatnam, Surat

By A Representative 

The advocacy group Jan Swasthya Abhiyan India (JSA India) has expressed deep concern over the recent deaths of 12 workers in separate industrial accidents in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and Surat, Gujarat, calling for urgent strengthening of occupational health and safety measures across the country.

In a press statement, JSA India highlighted the deaths of eight workers at a steel plant in Visakhapatnam and four workers in a confined-space incident in Surat, describing the tragedies as preventable and indicative of serious lapses in workplace safety management.

Jagdish Patel, Advisor to JSA India and Director of the Peoples Training and Research Centre (PTRC), demanded adequate compensation for the families of the deceased workers and strict accountability for those responsible for safety violations. He also called for effective implementation of occupational health and safety provisions under labour laws and urged both state governments to fill vacant positions in factory inspectorate departments.

Kousalya Periyasamy of the Positive Women Network and JSA India said the Surat incident appeared to involve violations of the Factories Act, 1948, and the Gujarat Factories Rules, which require employers to ensure safe working environments, proper handling of hazardous substances, emergency preparedness and adequate safety measures.

She noted that confined-space entry is among the most hazardous industrial activities and often results in multiple fatalities. Periyasamy also urged authorities to pay special attention to migrant workers during the investigation.

Referring to the Visakhapatnam accident, she said public sector companies are expected to maintain higher safety standards than private enterprises through better implementation of legal provisions, trained staff, stronger safety departments and proper maintenance. She stressed that compensation should not discriminate between permanent and contract workers and that all responsible persons should be prosecuted to prevent future incidents.

JSA India representatives Vipul Pandya and Amulya Nidhi called on the respective governments to conduct independent and time-bound inquiries into both incidents and make the findings public. They also demanded adequate compensation and rehabilitation support for affected families, strict legal action against those responsible for negligence, stronger inspection and enforcement mechanisms in hazardous industries, and comprehensive implementation of occupational health and safety provisions.

"The loss of workers' lives due to unsafe workplaces is unacceptable. Every worker has the right to a safe and healthy working environment, and governments and employers must fulfill their responsibility to protect this right," the statement said.

The organisation emphasized that lakhs of workers across India continue to suffer injuries, occupational diseases and deaths due to unsafe working conditions and inadequate enforcement of safety regulations, underscoring the urgent need for systemic reforms in workplace safety.