The Mazda Pharma Guide 7th October to 13th October | Página 18

INCULCATE SAFETY CULTURE

F

or any industry to be successful in the present global

Third, exposure to high temperatures and heat-stress from

industrial scenario it is imperative to inculcate safety

chemical reactors and exposure to carcinogenic, mutagenic and

culture, consciousness in health and environment aspects in

teratogenic substances present in the reactor or released from the

each personnel of an organisation. Alas, in India, the incidents of

reactor during cleaning and maintenance work may also cause

fire accidents in pharmaceutical factories have been increasing at

catastrophic damage to the working force in the chemical factories.

an alarming rate. This is a matter of major concern and should be

Fourth, exposure to substances that can harm the nervous system

taken up seriously by the companies as well the authorities. In the

and exposure to suspended dust PM10 can give rise to respiratory

recent past, there has been a succession of fire accidents happening

diseases.

in chemical factories in the outskirts of major cities and towns.
Earlier to that, there had been an explosion in a chemical factory in

All the process plants and utility services at have to be
designed and constructed by Consultants and contractors of reputed

Hyderabad which killed four people in Green Park at Polepalli

companies. The technologies have to be carefully selected based on

Pharma Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Jadcherla. Also perhaps

the proven track record of the respective consultants. Safety and

around the same time, an explosion at a chemical reactor was

reliability have to be the principal criteria in evaluation of the

reported which resulted in the death of two employees. The fire

technologies for the various plants and state of the art technological

department recovered charred bodies of two employees in a huge

innovations are being constantly incorporated in the plants to

fire at a pharmaceutical company at Patancheru about 50 kms from

upgrade them to the current level of expertise available in the field.

Hyderabad. It is high time that the pharmaceutical companies take

The consultants and principal contractors involved in the design

utmost care and precautions to avoid any kind of fire accidents in

and construction of various plants at manufacturing units have of to

their manufacturing units. Similar untoward incidents in

be of high repute. All the plants have to be provided with

pharmaceutical units could give a wrong expression to the world

sophisticated instrumentation for continuous monitoring of the

and may compel investors to look out for other safer zones in South

operating parameters and inherent safety has to be in-built in the

East Asian countries. Already the pharmaceutical industry has been

instrumentation system to provide audio visual annunciation on the

witnessi ng a slowdown on account of agitations locally and

control panels in case of any abnormality in the operating

economic slowdown in the international markets.
For this, there are several parameters which have to be

conditions to warn the operator. In case the abnormality persists or
exceeds a predetermined limit, a foolproof trip system has to be

considered study to make the manufacturing unit a safe place to

furnished to trip the plant and proceed to a safe shut down of the

work for the employees. These include Site, Construction Design,

concerned equipment or entire plant. Safety interlocks have been

Protection Zones, Process &Safety, Set up of fire & safety section,

provided at strategic points to eliminate possible human errors.

Information on preliminary hazard analysis, Safety relevant

Comprehensive fire–fighting facilities as per recommendation of

components, Special Design criteria, Instrument controls and

concerned authorities have to be provided at the site consisting of a

alarms, Major Hazardous installations, Information on the

network of underground fire hydrant system, fixed foam

Hazardous assessment, Safety systems, Maintenance & Inspection

installation for naphtha tank farm, smoke detector installation for

schedules and Implementation safety procedures. First, workers

empty bag storage, CO2 extinguishing system for turbo generator

and operators who are working in chemical factories near reactors

and mobile foam and fire tenders. The fire and safety section,

or blast furnaces should be mind full of accidents have to be always

headed by a trained officer, is manned round the clock by qualified

alert and cautious. This is essential because in most of the chemical

and trained personnel to tackle any kind of emergency. Safety

factories and chemical reactors there are possibilities of explosions

equipment like – walkie-talkie sets, Safety helmets, hand gloves,

from uncontrolled chemical reactions due to overpressure or due to

ear muffs goggles, face shields, gas masks, safety belts etc. have to

release of energy from exothermal reactions (a result of mechanical

be provided to all the concerned operating and maintenance

damage or corrosion).
Second, employees should also be cautious and take

personnel. While the significance of safety & health in
pharmaceutical industries has to be a vital issue in achieving

precautions against exposure to hazardous substances due to a

productivity and it also helps in having an edge over your

sudden release of toxic materials from reactors due to the work-

competitors in the global industrial arena.

related accident or as a result of human error.

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THE MAZADA PHARMA GUIDE q
7 October - 13 October 2013