Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Pharma Units Urged to Adopt Predictive Safety Systems
Pharmaceutical factories can have dangerous machines, chemicals and dust.
Safety rules are important, but officials say following rules alone may not be enough.
They want factories to predict and stop problems before fires begin.
Fire safety must work together with electrical systems, security and factory automation.
The Pashamylaram incident showed how complex factory processes can create serious risks.
People making mistakes and poorly maintained equipment can make those risks worse.
Workers need to understand hazards and stay alert.
Officials also want factories to check that their safety equipment is working properly and aim for zero accidents.
FSAI’s Manoj Wahi urged pharmaceutical companies to move beyond compliance and adopt predictive systems to prevent fires and explosions.
He said fire, electrical, security, automation and industrial-process risks must be managed together under an integrated FESA approach.
The Pashamylaram incident highlighted hazards linked to increasingly complex pharmaceutical processes, including combustible dust.
Wahi identified human error and poor maintenance as major safety gaps and called for regular checks of safety systems.
Telangana fire services director G.V. Narayana Rao called for zero-accident goals, process-safety audits, hazard assessments and advanced detection systems.
- Who
- Fire and Security Association of India Hyderabad chapter president Manoj Wahi and Telangana fire services director G.V. Narayana Rao.
- What
- They called on pharmaceutical units to adopt predictive, integrated safety systems and strengthen audits, maintenance and hazard controls.
- When
- The recommendations were discussed at an FESA conference; the articles do not provide a specific conference date. The referenced Pashamylaram incident occurred last year.
- Where
- The discussion focused on pharmaceutical facilities in Telangana, particularly the Pashamylaram area, and took place in Hyderabad.
- Why
- To prevent fires and explosions by addressing process, electrical, security, automation and human-error risks before emergencies occur.
- Key advocate
- Manoj Wahi, president of the Fire and Security Association of India Hyderabad chapter
- Integrated approach
- FESA combines fire safety, electrical safety, security and automation
- Major hazards
- Combustible dust, complex pharmaceutical processes, human error and poor maintenance
- Recommended model
- A predictive safety model rather than a compliance-only model
- Immediate action
- Pharmaceutical units should check the health and operational readiness of their safety systems
- State safety goal
- Telangana fire services called for a zero-accident approach
- Conference focus
- Fire, electrical, process, security and automation risks in the pharmaceutical sector