MAJOR ACCIDENT HAZARD CONTROL ACTIVITIES in TAMIL NADU

MAJOR ACCIDENT HAZARD CONTROL ACTIVITIES in TAMIL NADU Chief Inspector of Factories, Chennai

There are 118 Major Accident Hazard (MAH) factories in Tamil Nadu Sl. No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Typical MAH Industry category LPG using Units LPG Bottling Units Petroleum Storage Installations Petrochemical Units Chlor Alkali Industry Other Chlorine using Units Distilleries & Breweries Fertilizer Industry Vinyl Chloride Monomer Units Thermal Power Plants Total no. of MAH Units 28 22 17 7 2 6 5 4 4 3

Sl. No. Typical MAH Industry Category Total MAH Units 11 Petroleum Refinery 2 12 Other Chemical Units 9 13 Drugs & Pharmaceutical Unit 1 14 Industrial Gases Unit 1 15 Paint Industry 1 16 Ammonia Storage Installation 1 17 LPG Storage Installation 1 18 Metallurgical Industry 1 19 Iron & Steel Industry 1 20 Military Ammunition Industry 1 21 Industrial Explosives Industry 1

Ø There are 5 Chemical Industrial Belts in the State. Sl. No. Name of the Chemical Belt 1 2 3 4 5 Total No. of MAH Units Manali- Ennore, Thiruvallore district Cuddalore 13 Ranipet, Vellore district Mettur, Salem district Tuticorin 3 8

Typical MAH Units in Manali – Ennore Chemical Belt Total MAH Units Sl. No Type of Industry 1 Petrochemical Industry 5 2 Fertilizer Industry 2 3 Petroleum Refinery 1 4 Chlor Alkali Industry 1 5 Other Chemical Industry 1 6 LPG Bottling Plant 1 7 LPG using Unit 1 8 Petroleum Storage Installation 1

Typical MAH Units in Cuddalore Chemical Belt Sl. No. Type of Industry Total no. of MAH Units 1 Chemical Industry 4 2 Paint Industry 1 3 PVC Industry 1 4 LPG using Unit 1 5 Distillery 1

Typical MAH Units in Ranipet Chemical Belt Sl. No. Type of Industry Total No. of MAH Units 1 LPG using Industry 2 2 Petrochemical Industry 1

Typical MAH Units in Mettur Chemical Belt Sl. No. Type of Industry Total No. of MAH Units 1 Chemical Industry 1 2 Chlor Alkali Industry 1 3 PVC Industry 1

Typical MAH Units in Tuticorin Chemical Belt Sl. No. Type of Industry Total MAH Units 1 Fertilizer Industry 1 2 Chlor Alkali & PVC Industry 1 3 Copper Metallurgical Industry 1 4 Ammonia Storage Installation 1 5 LPG Storage Installation 1 6 LPG Bottling Plant 1 7 VCM Storage Installation 1 8 Petroleum Storage Installation 1

Ø The Factories Inspectorate assists the MAH units in the preparation of “On-Site Emergency Plan”. Ø So far, 115 MAH Units have prepared the “On. Site Emergency Plan” and got the consent from the Chief Inspector of Factories. Ø In addition, the Factories Inspectorate insists the “Hazardous Process” Industry, coming under Section 2(cb) of the Factories Act, 1948 to prepare ‘On-Site Emergency Plan’ as per Section 41 -B(4) of the Factories Act and get the consent from the Chief Inspector of Factories.

Ø In the year 2008, 72 “full scale Mock Drills” were conducted in MAH Units in the presence of Factories Inspectors. Ø In 2009, so far 57 ‘full scale On- Site Mock Drills’ were conducted. Ø In addition, District Crisis Groups have been constituted in all the Industrial Districts as per the Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996; the Deputy Chief Inspectors of Factories are functioning as Member Secretaries in the District Crisis Groups.

Ø At local level, the Local Crisis Groups Have been constituted; the Inspectors of factories function as Member Secretaries. Ø The Factories Inspectorate Officials as Member Secretaries in these District and Local Crisis Groups, assist the District Emergency Authorities (District collectors) in the preparation of common “Off-Site Emergency Plan”. Ø Also, they assist the District Emergency Authorities in conducting “Off-Site Emergency” Mock Drills.

Ø National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), with the assistance of the District Collector and the Factories Inspectorate conducted 2 Mock Drills on “Off-Site Emergency”. i). The first one (LPG Fire) was conducted at BPCL LPG Bottling Plant at Peelamedu, Coimbatore and the adjoining Railway Station on 23. 07. 2008 ii). The second one (Anhydrous Hydrogen Fluoride leak) was conducted at TANFAC Industries Ltd. , Cuddalore

Ø The third “Off-Site” Mock Drill is to be conducted in Tuticorin Chemical Belt in August, 2009 in the presence of NDMA Authorities. Ø Factories Inspectorate in Tamil Nadu is having a “State Level Safety Audit Cell”. Chief Inspector of Factories is the Chairman. Experts in the field of Safety, Health and Environment are members in the Safety Audit Cell. Ø 53 MAH Units are identified for conducting statutory Safety Audit in their facilities by External Auditor every year and to submit the Audit Reports to Chief Inspector of Factories under “Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989” (MSIHC Rules).

Ø Safety Audit Cell periodically conducts meetings with MAH Unit Managements and scrutinizes their Safety Audit Reports; Improvement Notices are sent to the Managements for implementation of the Audit Cell’s recommendations on Safety, Health and Environmental aspects. Ø A Site Appraisal Committee (SAC) is functioning, with Chief Inspector of Factories as its Chairman, for evaluating the suitability of site of new upcoming “hazardous process” industry as per Section 41 -A of the Factories Act; the SAC submits report to State Government on the Management’s application along with appropriate recommendations.

Ø Regular Inspections are being conducted by Factories Inspectors in MAH Units once in every 6 months with special reference to the Safety Management System. Ø Safety Reports as received from the MAH Units under MSIHC Rules are scrutinized in the Office of Chief Inspector of Factories. Ø Factories Inspectors conduct a One day Training Program on Industrial safety every month for Plant Operators and Supervisors in factories, as part of their field level activities. Ø Factories Inspectorate regularly conducts Safety Seminars in association with NSC.