Labour Minister Mohamed Farvas reviews factory safety and health directorate

PRESS RELEASE Today (22.07.2026), a review meeting of officials of the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health was held at its office in Guindy, Chennai, under the chairmanship of the Hon'ble Minister for Labour Welfare and Skill Development, Thiru J.A. Mohamed Parvez. Addressing the meeting, the Hon'ble Minister stated that 27.72 lakh workers are employed in 55,214 factories across Tamil Nadu. Further, about 5 lakh workers are employed at 3,611 construction worksites. He directed officials to pay special attention to the safety, health and welfare of every worker employed in factories and construction sites, and to ensure these during their inspections. He instructed that all officials should carry out inspections with honesty and transparency, leaving no room for complaints. He stated that all services rendered by the department should be provided only through the online mode, that inspections should be carried out at factories allotted online, and that inspection reports should be uploaded to the Directorate's web portal immediately. He said that 21 special teams have been formed to conduct focused inspections in ammonia-using factories to eliminate hazardous conditions and prevent accidents. Inspections have been conducted at 90 factories, and at 28 factories, where workers' accommodation was located within the factory premises in a manner susceptible to ammonia exposure, orders have been issued to relocate such accommodation to safer locations. He further stated that 12 special teams have been constituted in Virudhunagar District to conduct continuous inspections at 1,140 fireworks factories to prevent accidents and ensure worker safety, and that stop-work orders have been issued and action taken to halt further production at 130 factories operating under conditions posing immediate danger to the life and safety of workers. He stated that employment of child labour must be completely prevented in all factories, and that rigorous inspections must be conducted to prevent adolescents from working in hazardous occupations and processes. He also stated that periodic medical examinations must be ensured for workers engaged in harmful and hazardous processes in factories. Subsequently, he inspected the safety equipment, protective vehicles, and the special fire-fighting vehicle used within factory premises, deployed for workers across various categories of factories under the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health. The meeting was attended by the Secretary of the Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department, Thiru Ko. Veera Raghava Rao IAS, the Director of Industrial Safety and Health, Thiru Se. Anand, and all officials of the Directorate. *************** Issued By: - DIPR, Secretariat, Chennai – 9