According to Rule 10 of the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules,1989, only factories in which there is a threshold quantity of hazardous chemicals involved, which are listed in column 2 of schedule 3, which is equal to or more than the quantity specified in the entry for that chemical in column 4 are mandatorily required to get an annual safety audit conducted by third party experts.
The Labour, Factories, Boilers & Insurance Medical Services Department in an Order dated 18th August, 2020 has observed that in factories where the quantities of the hazardous chemicals are less that the threshold mentioned in Rule 10, there have been instances which have caused serious consequences. Further, major accidents have also occurred in factories carrying the potentially dangerous operations / processes where the quantities involved are less than the quantities specified in the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules,1989, which have caused equally severe consequences with loss of life and property.
In light of these circumstances, the Director of Factories has expressed the imminent need for getting all these factories, other than those already covered by Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989 subjected to annual safety Audit by an expert third party in the interest of Safety of the workers working in, as well as the people living in the vicinity of, these factories.
Towards effectively implementing this, the Government has permitted the Director of Factories, Andhra Pradesh, Vijayawada to take necessary steps for getting all the above categories of factories to carry out the Annual Safety Audits by expert third parties in conformity with IS 14489:1998 immediately.
Source: Government of Andhra Pradesh
