Workers’ Rights Amid Factory Hazards in India

Source: The post “Workers’ Rights Amid Factory Hazards in India” has been created, based on “Are workers’ rights being eroded?” published in “The Hindu” on 8 October 2025. Workers’ Rights Amid Factory Hazards in India.

UPSC Syllabus: GS-3- Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilisation of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment.

Context: Industrial accidents in India continue to expose the grim state of workers’ rights and safety. On June 30, the Sigachi Industries chemical factory explosion in Telangana killed 40 workers, followed by accidents in Tamil Nadu and Chennai, claiming several more lives.

The British Safety Council estimates that one in four fatal workplace accidents worldwide occur in India — a figure that underestimates the problem due to widespread underreporting, especially among informal and contract labour.

Why Do Workplace Accidents Occur?

1. Accidents are not inevitable but result from employer negligence and weak enforcement of safety laws.
2. Failures include:
   1. Poor workplace design and outdated machinery.
   2. Inadequate maintenance, non-functional alarms, and a lack of evacuation systems.
   3. Ignored worker complaints and dismissed safety concerns.
3. The Telangana incident revealed systemic neglect — outdated reactors, ignored warnings, and absence of safety supervision.

International Labour Organisation (ILO) Stand

1. The ILO notes that industrial accidents are rarely random — they stem from management failures in maintaining safety standards.
2. It criticises employers for blaming “human error” instead of addressing systemic negligence, long working hours, and unsafe environments.
3. The ILO stresses preventive responsibility, not post-disaster compensation.

Legal Framework in India

• Factories Act, 1948: First legislation mandating safe and healthy working conditions.
• Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSHWC) Code, 2020: Consolidates 13 labour laws (including Factories Act, Mines Act, Contract Labour Act).
• The OSHWC Code, though currently in abeyance, aims to modernise health and safety norms.
• However, implementation and accountability remain weak, with most provisions unenforced and employers rarely penalised.

Challenges in Protecting Workers’ Rights

1. Systematic Dilution of Labour Laws: Since the 1990s, labour protections have been weakened in the name of “flexibility” and “Ease of Doing Business.” Governments reduced inspections and rebranded regulations as “obstacles to business.”
2. Self-Certification and Weak Oversight: States like Maharashtra allowed self-certification of compliance, reducing government monitoring. Violations often go unchecked, and accountability is minimal.
3. Informalization of Labour: A large share of India’s workforce is informal or contract-based, outside legal protection frameworks. These workers face unsafe environments, irregular pay, and no compensation.
4. Charity over Justice: Governments and companies issue ex gratia payments instead of enforcing legal compensation, turning accountability into tokenism.
5. Profit-Driven Work Culture: India’s business environment prioritizes productivity and cost efficiency over worker safety. During the COVID-19 pandemic, working hours were extended, and temporary relaxations in labour laws became permanent.
6. Weak Institutional Mechanisms: Insufficient factory inspections, lack of data on workplace accidents, and poor inter-agency coordination impede enforcement.

Way Forward

1. Strengthen Enforcement:

• Reinstate and empower the labour inspectorate with digital monitoring and surprise inspections.
• Enforce accountability through criminal and civil penalties for negligence.

1. Implement OSHWC Code Effectively: Operationalise the Occupational Safety Code, 2020, with clear rules and real-time reporting mechanisms.
2. ILO Compliance: Align national labour policies with ILO conventions on workplace safety and decent work.
3. Empower Workers and Unions:

• Encourage collective bargaining, representation, and whistleblower protection.
• Involve workers in safety audits and risk assessments.

1. Transparency and Data:n Mandate reporting of all industrial accidents and maintain a national workplace safety registry.
2. Shift in Business Culture:

• Promote a “safety-first” industrial culture that views protection not as a cost but as an investment.
• Encourage ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) compliance and social audits.

1. Judicial and Administrative Accountability: Fast-track compensation cases and enforce employer liability to deter future negligence.

Conclusion: India’s industrial growth cannot come at the cost of human safety. While laws like the Factories Act and OSHWC Code exist, their implementation gap and regulatory dilution undermine worker protections. As the ILO emphasises, safe workplaces enhance both productivity and human dignity. To ensure sustainable and inclusive development, India must move beyond symbolic compensation towards real accountability, prevention, and respect for workers’ rights.

Question: Industrial accidents in India reflect the deep erosion of workers’ rights and weak enforcement of safety laws. Discuss the causes, challenges, and measures needed to ensure occupational safety and dignity for workers.