Implement building codes & safety regulations

Implement building safety regulations

In a recent tragic incident, two workers were killed when the roof of a double-story dyeing unit in Focal Point collapsed. The factory in question was 25 years old and had structurally weakened over time. It is understood that new pillars were being installed when the collapse occurred. It is shocking that no comprehensive risk assessment was conducted prior to the structural modification. In fact, temporary support structures could have been used to reinforce the roof while the new pillars were being installed. This would have ensured worker safety and prevented the roof from collapsing during construction. This incident underscores the implementation of building codes and safety regulations in industrial environments. To avoid such mishaps in the future, all factory owners must conduct regular and comprehensive inspections to assess the condition of roofs, beams, and foundations and identify problems before they escalate. Furthermore, officials responsible for negligence should face severe consequences.

Novin Christopher

Change casual attitude

The latest tragedy, in which the collapse of a factory building has taken precious lives of 3 workers is neither the first one and nor expected to be last one. The casual and ‘devil may care’ attitude of the owners and authorities is not going to change and the clamour will die down soon. However this doesn’t mean that preventive steps should not be thought about.

One important and noticeable fact is that after every such tragedy it comes to be known that the workers had brought the poor condition of the working environs to the notice of management which was invariably ignored or snubbed. The poor workers have no platform or forum where to highlight such things or force the owners to take suitable action. If there is some social or official forum, where the workers may post their concerns before the tragedy takes place, it is likely to make the owners or authorities to get out of slumber and take appropriate prior action thereby preventing such painful tragedies and save precious lives.

Ravinder Mittal

Adopt strict protocols

Regular Inspections: Conduct regular inspections of the factory’s infrastructure, including the roof, to identify potential weaknesses and address them promptly.

Maintenance and Repairs: Ensure that all necessary maintenance and repairs are carried out in a timely manner to prevent structural damage.

Safety Protocols: Establish and enforce strict safety protocols, including emergency evacuation procedures, to minimize the risk of injury or death in the event of an accident.

Training and Awareness: Provide regular training and awareness programs for workers on safety procedures, emergency response, and hazard identification.

Investigation and Prosecution: Conduct a thorough investigation into the incident to identify the causes and hold responsible officials accountable for any negligence or wrongdoing.

Penalties and Fines: Impose penalties and fines on factory owners and officials found guilty of negligence or violating safety regulations.

Licenses and Permits: Review and potentially revoke licenses and permits of factories that fail to meet safety standards or demonstrate a pattern of negligence.

Worker Empowerment: Educate workers on their rights and empower them to report safety concerns and hazards without fear of reprisal.

Stricter Regulations: Develop and enforce stricter safety regulations and standards for factories, including regular inspections and audits.

Increased Funding: Allocate sufficient funding for safety inspections, enforcement, and worker training programs.

Transparency and Accountability: Ensure transparency in reporting and investigating workplace accidents, and hold officials accountable for any lapses in enforcement or oversight.

Jaspreet Kaur

Make inspections mandatory

Strict Building Regulations and Inspections – Authorities should ensure that factories follow proper construction guidelines. Regular structural audits and surprise inspections should be mandated to identify weaknesses before disasters happen.

Accountability of Officials and Builders – Officials responsible for approving and overseeing construction projects must be held accountable. Any negligence, corruption, or oversight should lead to strict legal action, including suspension, fines, or imprisonment.

Use of Quality Materials – Many collapses occur due to the use of substandard materials. Strict quality checks should be imposed at every stage of construction.

Worker Safety Training – Employees should be educated about safety protocols, emergency exits, and early warning signs of structural weaknesses to ensure quick action when needed.

Prabhnoor kaur

Negligence at work place

The recent factory roof collapse in Ludhiana is a tragic reminder of the negligence in workplace safety. Such incidents can be prevented through stricter regulations, regular structural audits, and enforcement of safety protocols. Authorities should mandate periodic inspections of industrial buildings, ensuring they meet construction and safety standards. Employers must also take responsibility by conducting regular maintenance and providing emergency preparedness training for workers.Negligence in such cases must not go unpunished. Officials and factory owners who fail to uphold safety standards should face legal consequences. A dedicated task force should be formed to inspect high-risk workplaces, and a whistleblower policy should be introduced to encourage workers to report unsafe conditions without fear of retaliation.Additionally, compensation for victims’ families should be ensured, and strict penalties should be imposed on those found guilty of negligence. The government must collaborate with industries to create a safer working environment through awareness campaigns and safety drills.This tragedy should serve as a wake-up call. Without immediate action, more lives will be at risk. Workplace safety must be a priority, not an afterthought.

Parmeet Kaur

Wakeup call for authorities

Factory accidents can be avoided with strict safety measures. Regular inspections should be mandatory to check building conditions, and factory owners must ensure proper maintenance. Workers should be trained in safety rules, and emergency exits should always be clear. Installing safety sensors to detect weak structures can help prevent disasters.

Officials responsible for negligence must face strict action so that such incidents are not repeated. A special safety team should be formed to monitor industrial areas and take quick action if violations are found. Workers should also have a helpline to report unsafe conditions without fear. In case of an accident, immediate rescue efforts and proper medical care must be provided. Families of victims should receive fair compensation. Strict rules, regular monitoring, and responsible leadership can help prevent such tragic mishaps in the future.

Prabhjot Singh

Safety audit for buildings crucial

A building collapse can have far-reaching consequences on families and communities. The immense weight of building materials, coupled with sudden onset of damage, can result in severe injuries and loss of lives. Ludhiana has witnessed several such incidents in the industrial as well as residential establishments in the past, killing the workers and residents. Regular safety audit is crucial in preventing such disasters. Immediate remedial measures like repair or renovation should be taken up when there appear cracks in the walls, sagging floors, cracking arches, buckling beams etc. In most of the mishaps, the negligence of building owners is the cause of collapse. The owners and caretakers of the units should be booked by the police on the charge of culpable homicide in such cases. NDRF teams should be called immediately to rescue the persons trapped under the debris. A magisterial probe should be ordered to determine the exact cause of the mishap.

The authorities should ensure that new dwelling units or industries are established in the approved colonies or industrial areas only. The foundation of a building must be strong.

Raghbir Singh Sembhi

Inspections by engineers needed

To prevent incidents like factory roof collapses in the future, the following measures should be implemented:

Conduct routine structural inspections by qualified engineers appointed by the local government to identify and address weaknesses or damage and schedule regular maintenance to repair cracks, corrosion, or other signs of wear.

Ensure factory structures comply with local building codes and safety standards. In this context factory owner must obtain necessary permits and certifications before construction or renovation.

Factory owner must use high-quality, durable materials for construction for this purpose he must hire experienced contractors and ensure proper construction practices are followed.

Avoid overloading roofs with heavy equipment or materials. Distribute weight evenly and adhere to load-bearing limits.

Reinforce roofs to withstand extreme weather conditions like heavy rain, or wind, and must install proper drainage systems to prevent water accumulation.

Dr Mohammad Saleem Farooqui

Emergency response should be ready

To avoid incidents of collapsing of roof of a factory or firm in ludhiana some important measures may be taken so that human lives may be saved. The owner must train the workers to recognize potential hazards and report structural concerns if they noticed immediately to the owner or person deputed for the purpose. Owner must promote a safety-first culture in the workplace which must be checked by the officials of the corporation. He must develop and practice emergency response plans for structural failures and must ensure clear evacuation routes and accessible emergency exits. He must install sensors or monitoring systems to detect structural shifts or stress.He must s trengthen government oversight to ensure factories adhere to safety regulations. Officials must conduct random inspections and penalize non-compliance.

Owners of the factory must have insurance covering structural failures. He must also conduct regular risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential hazards.

Farzana Khan

Inspect labourers’ workplace

Such tragedies happen because of irresponsible behaviour. To prevent such mishaps, officials should properly inspect the site before labourers arrive. They must check everything and repair any defective items. They should provide proper safety for the labourers. Sometimes small defects cause big destruction. Labourers are the responsibility of the officials. Where officials should check for such mishaps, labourers should also check for defects in their workplace. Proper safety is a must for effective working. The official should inspect the labourers’ workplace everyday. Officials who are irresponsible regarding labourers’ safety should face strict action. Labourers are also prefer to work only in places that provide them proper safety. Such mishaps occur due to both the irresponsible behaviour of the officials and labourers’ lack of responsibility regarding their physical safety.

Prabhjot Kaur

Hold defaulters accountable

Expressing condolences is not enough! Laws must be strictly enforced, and those responsible should be held accountable. Ludhiana, being an industrial city with a history of such incidents, should have already implemented periodic structural audits to ensure the safety of industrial workers. Additionally, an efficient emergency response system must be in place.The governing body should establish and enforce strict norms for building construction and maintenance. Employees should receive personalized training sessions on safety protocols, which should be reviewed regularly.With advancements in AI, it is crucial to promote the judicial use of technologies such as health monitoring systems and sensors to detect structural weaknesses in advance. Furthermore, factory and warehouse teams should routinely practice emergency response plans to minimize risks.Ultimately, those responsible for negligence must be held accountable under the law and fulfill their social responsibility.

Tanvi Aggarwal

Compensate victim’s families

Recentlty, a roof collapse in the city took away 2-3 labourers lives. All efforts must be made to ensure that such a happening does not occur again. The Municipal Corporation must ensure that no building is in bad condition and collapses like that in the city. The corporation must fix the responsibility of one of its building officers to go out often and check the present construction condition of all the residential or industrial buildings and if any building is near collapse, it must be got dismantled by warning the owner or directly dismantled by the corporation. Such buildings must never be allowed to operate with workers inside by the local industry. Such checking must be done frequently to save the precious lives of workers there. Further, if such a thing happens, then the building owner must pay compensation to the grieved family by giving cash. Also, the owner must give labourer’s equivalent job to an adult member of that family. The knowledge of these steps both to the workers and owners will help in avoiding and managing such tragadies in future.

Gautam Dev