• Labour Ministry preparing to launch special inspections of factories 

There are currently only 22 engineers tasked with monitoring the safety of factories islandwide, it is reliably learnt.The Labour Ministry is preparing to launch special inspections of factories nationwide following recent fatal fires, with concerns mounting over a shortage of safety specialists and shortcomings in workplace safety regulations, The Sunday Morning learns.Ministry of Labour Secretary S.M. Piyatissa told The Sunday Morning that investigations into factory standards – following the recent fires – were highly technical and required deep insight for the investigations to be carried out efficiently.

According to him, approval of building plans for large constructions like factories is done by local authorities and then cross-checked with the Urban Development Authority (UDA). As such, the factories need to be registered after their layout and plans are sent to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Labour.At present, there are around 22 engineers under that division monitoring safety compliance across the entire island, despite the sanctioned cadre sitting at nearly 40 officers, according to Piyatissa.

He was speaking at a meeting convened on Friday (24) under the leadership of Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe and Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Chathuranga Abeysinghe, involving officials from the Colombo and Kotte Municipal Councils.The discussion focused on immediate precautions and the development of mandatory guidelines that industries must follow.

Under the proposed framework, factories will be required to submit a comprehensive compliance report to the Ministry of Industry to secure their annual approval renewals. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between building plan approvals – often handled by the UDA or local councils – and the technical safety requirements of the Ministry of Labour.Piyatissa further noted that enforcement of guidelines remained a hurdle due to technical complexities, especially with the increase of fire risks linked to the El Niño phenomenon and rising temperatures.

“The ministry has collaborated with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and about three months back we compiled a draft on heat regulation and presented it to the ILO for input. According to that, we are planning on arranging a workshop in September specifically focused on heat stress and awareness of the possibility of fires increasing inside workplaces.”

When contacted by The Sunday Morning, Police Media Spokesman ASP F.U. Wootler stated that the Police would lend its support to the relevant authorities investigating factories across Sri Lanka.

On Tuesday (21), a massive blaze broke out on the upper floor of a three-storey factory manufacturing safety helmets in the Katuwana Industrial Zone, Homagama, while over 80 employees were on duty, resulting in five fatalities and one injured worker being hospitalised. This incident was preceded by the fire in a textile and garment factory’s warehouse in the Nonagama Sudupalama area in Embilipitiya on 3 June, which saw eight female workers hospitalised for severe smoke inhalation.