Blast at Kaloor happened before rush hour, minimising casualties

Bereaved kin entitled to ₹25 lakh compensation but hardly get even death certificate, says CMID; both employers and state responsible for providing adequate compensation

- Abdul Nazer M A @Kochi

The death of a worker in the steam boiler blast at an eatery in Kochi has once again brought to fore the rising workplace accidents involving migrant workers in Kerala.

According to Perumbavoor-based Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development (CMID), two migrant workers die every day in Kerala, half of them due to accidents at the workplace. And barring a few, most do not get any compensation.

"Our calculations reveal that around 690-700 migrant workers die in Kerala every year. This puts the number of deaths per day at two in Kerala. Of this, one person dies in workplace-related accidents," said Benoy Peter, executive director, CMID. He said migrant workers are employed in jobs that others generally avoid. "We term it 3D jobs - dirty, demeaning and dangerous. These are the jobs that the migrant workers are employed in. So, they will be exposed to high risks such as chemicals, excessive heat, hazardous materials and the like. Further, they are forced to work without sufficient protective gear," said Peter.