Date:05/03/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/03/05/stories/2005030505280500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

`Industrial safety of paramount importance'

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, MARCH 4. The Labour Minister, G. Vinod, said greater productivity has increased safety requirements and it is the collective responsibility of the management, workforce and the unions to improve safety in factories.

At the 34th National Safety Day celebrations here on Friday, he gave away prizes for winners of competitions in essay and slogan writing and poster painting conducted by the National Safety Council (NSC) and the Department of Labour.

Need for training

Mr. Vinod said while rapid industrial growth was imperative, it was important for it to be accompanied by enough safety regulations. Most accidents involved unskilled sections of the workforce and hence continuous training was a must, he said, urging managements to send their workers for training programmes conducted by the department.

The Principal Secretary, Labour, Asha Murthy, said the success of any industry depended on productivity levels, quality of product, safety, health and contentment of its workers. A safe and healthy work environment would motivate the workforce and bring out the best, thus increasing productivity.