VIJAYAWADA: Eagle Chief Ake Ravi Krishna, along with Venkata Ramana, Director General of Fire Services, visited Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu to study the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and safety measures followed in the firecracker industry on Monday.
The visit was undertaken as part of the committee constituted by the government to examine the Vetlapalem fire accident and submit a report.
During the visit, the team observed that Sivakasi, located in Virudhunagar district, is the largest producer of firecrackers in India. Officials from multiple departments including Revenue, Fire Services, Labour, Inspector of Factories, Police and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) interacted with the delegation and explained the safety protocols implemented in the region.
The team inspected several firecracker manufacturing units such as Standard Fireworks and Vanitha Fireworks to understand the best practices adopted by the industry. Officials explained that the first firecracker unit in Sivakasi was established in 1925, nearly a century ago.
Authorities highlighted that strict adherence to PESO guidelines, proper infrastructure, periodic training of workers and deployment of PESO-certified foremen are crucial for safety.
In the manufacturing process, chemical mixing and filling are the most sensitive operations. Only two workers are permitted inside these facilities at a time and the quantity of explosive material is restricted to five kilograms.
As these activities are prone to fire accidents, all mixing and filling work is stopped by 11 am to prevent friction fires caused by rising temperatures.
Workers also discharge static electricity from their bodies before entering these facilities. Officials stressed that manpower control and regulation of explosive materials are key measures in preventing accidents in firecracker units.
The committee will submit recommendations to be implemented in firecracker manufacturing industries in the State to avoid such incidents.