Over 400 workers killed in India in due to workplace safety lapses

2024 has been another dreadful year for workplace safety in India. According to data compiled by IndustriALL, by 10 December, at least 240 workplace accidents occurred in the manufacturing, mining, and energy sectors, resulting in over 400 fatalities and more than 850 serious injuries. The actual numbers are probably significantly higher as workplace accidents are underreported. The chemical and pharmaceutical sector saw some of the most severe accidents this year. Over 110 workplace accidents occurred in the sector which killed at least 220 workers and seriously injured over 550. On 21 August, an explosion at a pharmaceutical factory in a special economic zone in Andhra Pradesh killed 18 workers and injured 30 others. The plant belonged to Escientia Advanced Sciences.

In May, a massive explosion at a chemical factory in Mumbai, owned by Amudan Chemicals, claimed the lives of at least 13 workers and injured more than 60. According to media reports, safety lapses, including insufficient precautions in the mixing and storage of chemicals, led to the explosion. Earlier in February, a fire at a paint factory in Delhi killed eleven people and left many more severely injured. The Delhi Municipal Corporation later confirmed that the factory was operating illegally.

Safety violations are not confined to the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. The mining industry saw at least 22 accidents, killing 60 workers and seriously injuring more than 50. In the energy sector, over 20 workers died in workplace accidents this year. In February, a boiler exploded, killing at least fourteen workers and severely injuring over 25 at a parts manufacturing facility in the state of Haryana. The factory is part of India