Industrial managements should invest in safety: Vivek Venkatswamy

Minister for Labour, Employment and Mines Dr. G. Vivek Venkatswamy has emphasised that safety should be viewed as an investment rather than an expense, stating that productivity improves only when there is safety at the workplace. He called upon industrial managements to give upmost priority to safety. The 55th National Safety Day was celebrated with grandeur at Ravindra Bharathi in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

The event was organised under the aegis of the Telangana government, the directorate of factories, and the National Safety Council of India.

He noted that while some managements in the past considered safety measures as an additional financial burden, there has now been a positive shift, with industries increasingly focusing on safety. The Minister urged every industrial management to mandatorily invest in safety and advised board members to regularly review safety aspects.

G. Vivek Venkatswamy attended the programme as the chief guest. Principal Secretary Dani Kishore and director of Factories Mohan Babu were also present. Awareness programmes were conducted highlighting the safety measures to be adopted in industries.

Speaking on the occasion, he stressed the need to continuously create awareness among workers, adding that the best results can be achieved only when workers are happy and secure. Highlighting the rapid technological changes in industries, he said safety standards must be strengthened in line with technological advancements.

Referring to the Chief Minister’s vision of transforming the State into a $3 trillion economy, he stated that industries play a crucial role in achieving this goal and must therefore prioritise safety. He called upon industries to strive towards becoming “zero-accident factories” by adopting best safety practices.

Referring to a recent incident, the Minister observed that even minor precautionary measures could have prevented a major accident. “Had RS 20 lakh been spent on preventive measures, the accident could have been avoided. However, after the incident, the same management spent crores,” he remarked.

While every company has a safety plan in place, he said workers must also strictly adhere to safety norms. The Minister directed department officials to further strengthen the culture of safety across industries throughout the State.