THOOTHUKUDI: The Industrial Safety and Health Department has directed all seafood processing units to relocate labour quarters to safe locations from the processing units immediately.
The order comes in the wake of the Tiruvallur gas leak tragedy that left 18 workers dead, as their accommodation was in close proximity to the factory’s anhydrous ammonia plant. “At least a dozen women labourers who died took refuge in a sanitary area in the plant to escape the toxic gas,” said a senior official wishing anonymity. Following the incident, the state formed a high-level committee for inspecting safety standards at seafood processing factories handling toxic gas.
The joint directors at the regional levels had served notices to the factories, prohibiting the stay of labourers on the plant premises, stating it is unsafe to human life as per Section 40(1) of the Factories Act, 1948.
According to a notice served to a leading frozen foods factory, the employer shall immediately shift the workers’ accommodation to a residential area situated far away from the factory premises and at a safe distance from the ammonia refrigeration installation, within three days. The factories shall submit a compliance report with documentary evidence to the Joint Director of Industrial Safety and Health, the notice said. Besides, the inspection committee serves a 28-page questionnaire on the safety of workers, hygiene, risk management, machinery, and other features.
Seafood processing factories operate anhydrous ammonia (NH3) refrigeration systems for manufacturing ice blocks to freeze and pack fish, shrimps, crabs, squids and octopus to maintain the export quality. The packed items are frozen at -40 0C and the temperature should be maintained at -20 0C for three months until they reach the destination, an industrialist said.
In case of an untoward incident, the leaked liquefied anhydrous ammonia may rapidly evaporate and form a toxic and corrosive vapour cloud capable of causing serious and lethal injuries to the labourers. The only escape is to cover the nose with a wet cloth, and run far from the area within eight minutes, said sources in the industry safety department.
A senior official said that an aerial separation distance of 300 m-500 m may provide a level of safety. However, the actual safe distance should be established based on a detailed hazard identification and quantitative risk assessment, he said.
Seafood Exporters Association of India-Tamil Nadu region president C Selwin Prabhu told TNIE, “Given the number of workers, it is unimaginable to resettle them within three days. Their food, safety, and transport need to be taken care of,” he said, seeking more time. “We are relocating them to a residential area outside the factory,” said another factory operator.
As each factory has 400 to 600 workers, constructing an accommodation to house all the workers would cost a lot; hence, they are looking for various options like hostels and rented apartments, he said.
Tamil Nadu has over 45 seafood processing factories, with 30 in Thoothukudi district, employing over 10,000 workers. Over 60% of the workers are migrant labourers and the majority are women. The industry fetches over `6,000 crore annually to the state exchequer.