How mechanisation can avert Sivakasi accidents?

Did you know? Sivakasi is the hub of fireworks in India. 90% of

the firecrackers are produced there. The making of firecrackers
involves tremendous amount of time spent by skilled and
unskilled labour. Firecracker manufacturing involves mixing of
various chemicals. These chemicals are hazardous to human
health. The firework hub, Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, India has seen a
series of accidents lately. To avert these accidents, firework
manufacturers are taking various precautionary measures.

One of the major steps that firework manufacturers are taking is

to mechanise the entire manufacturing process. Emphasis is being
given to chemical mixing, filling and pellet making. The
manufacturing process of fireworks involves 3 major steps of
chemical mixing, filling and finishing. Most accidents occur
during the mixing and filling stages as they involve the use of
highly combustible chemicals such as aluminium powder which
may trigger a fire when exposed to moisture. Fancy fireworks
which emit colours and sounds are the most dangerous to
manufacture because they involve the use of chemical pellets
made of a cocktail of chemicals. In most of the recent accidents
that have occurred in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, India had these
chemical pellets involved in one way or the other. The accidents
mainly occurred during the making or drying stage of the pellets.
To combat these risks and accidents, firework manufacturers in
India have started implementing the mechanisation process by
providing equipment such as mixers, rollers, pellet-makers and
sieves to their staff.
Its not just the manufacturing process that is causing accidents. It
is the infrastructure too that is acting as a big hurdle. Absence of
power hampers the manufacturing process. Most firework
manufacturing units are not electrified due to safety factors. Mr. S
Srinivasan, Vice President of Tamil Nadu Fireworks demanded in
a recent meeting that firecracker manufacturing units must be
connected to three-phase power to be able to operate machines.
China is a major competitor of fireworks to India. They have
carried out mechanisation in full swing. In India, mechanisation
has started but at a slow pace.

All firework manufacturing units in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, India

need to have containment walls between the chemical mixing
room and working shed to prevent spreading of flames in case of
fire incidents.

Not just that, the firework workers association is also conducting

courses for workers on fire safety.