Odisha Launches Industrial Safety Manual with Focus on Zero-Accident Workplaces

Bhubaneswar: Odisha has stepped up its efforts to prevent industrial accidents with the launch of ‘Surakshya Setu: Industrial Safety & Risk Management Manual’, a practical guide aimed at helping factories identify workplace hazards, manage risks and adopt safer work practices.

Forest, Environment & Climate Change and Labour & Employees’ State Insurance Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia formally released the manual, which brings together key safety practices for workers, supervisors, managers, safety professionals and other personnel involved in industrial operations.

The publication focuses on some of the critical aspects of workplace safety, including hazard identification, risk assessment, safe work procedures, accident prevention and emergency preparedness. The guidelines have been presented in a simple and accessible format to facilitate their use at industrial establishments.

Releasing the manual, Singkhuntia said wider dissemination of safety knowledge would help industries and workers identify and eliminate unsafe practices and conditions before they lead to accidents.

He emphasised that achieving the goal of zero industrial accidents in Odisha would require active participation from industries, workers and other stakeholders. He expressed confidence that industrial establishments across the state would use the manual to strengthen workplace safety.

The manual is intended to serve as a ready reference for personnel at different levels of industrial operations, enabling them to better understand workplace risks and follow appropriate preventive measures.

Beyond providing technical guidance, the initiative seeks to promote a stronger safety culture within industrial establishments. Regular awareness and adoption of safe operating procedures are expected to help reduce workplace risks and contribute to healthier working environments.

The Labour & ESI Department said the publication reflects its continued focus on worker safety, industrial accident prevention and strengthening occupational health and safety practices across the state.

Principal Secretary, Labour & ESI Department, Dodda Venkat Swamy, Labour Commissioner and Director of Factories & Boilers Indramani Tripathy, and Deputy Director (Safety) Dr Malaya Kumar Pradhan, among others, attended the release ceremony.

The manual is expected to provide industries with a common and accessible safety reference while supporting the government’s broader objective of making industrial workplaces across Odisha safer and more resilient.