Three youth suffered severe burn injuries due to a blast at Wipro Enterprises in Jharmajri village in Barotiwala industrial area on Thursday.
The workers on Friday halted work and shouted slogans protesting the indifference of the management.
Sunil Thakur, an injured youth, said, “A 50 kg sac of casting was being emptied into a vessel in the plant while preparing a batch of shaving cream. It failed to be emptied in the first attempt so I pitched in to help but suddenly another employee lifted the entire sac and abruptly emptied it triggering a blast.”
He added that the workers were not given basic safety equipment, like gloves. When they asked for it, they were told that the stock of gloves had finished.
“An experienced employee is supposed to supervise such work but all new workers had been entrusted the job,” Sunil said.
Being unaware of the safety measures to be adopted while undertaking such work, the trainee youth were injured in the mishap, the worker added.
Another employee Rajiv suffered severe burn injury as sulphur protruded his eye and he was rushed to ESIC Hospital. The workers alleged that another trainee youth had also sustained injuries in the incident.
Harbans Rana, general secretary, Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) Federation, lodged a complaint with the Barotiwala police today. He accused the company management of negligence and said all safety parameters should be adopted by the management to ensure safety of the workers. Harbans alleged that such incidents have been coming to the fore in the past too but little has been done to improve safety of the workers.
Wipro Enterprises issued a statement highlighting their focus on safety and well-being of the workers. Terming the incident as unfortunate, the press release stated that the operator of the said section was rushed to the ESIC Hospital and later, Post Graduate Institute of medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, where his medical care is being overseen.