CM Opens 2-Day Goa Workplace Safety Expo at Bambolim

Bambolim: Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant inaugurated the two-day Goa Occupational Safety and Health Expo & Summit 2026 on the theme “Shaping the Future of Workplace Safety”, organized by the Inspectorate of Factories and Boilers at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Bambolim. Besides the Chief Minister, the event was held in the presence of Maharashtra Labour Minister  Akash Fundkar, Goa Minister for Factories and Boilers  Nilkanth Halarnkar, Secretary (Factories & Boilers)  Sanjiv Gadkar, IAS, Chief Inspector of Factories & Boilers  Anant Pangam, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Pratima Dhond, and others.   Addressing the gathering, CM Sawant said Goa has over 1,200 registered factories and 8,000 boilers, and the state’s industrial growth must be matched by world-class safety standards. “One accident is one too many. Safety cannot be an afterthought or just a file to be cleared. It has to be built into every shop floor and office,” he said. The Chief Minister urged industry to adopt digital reporting of near-misses, AI-based hazard detection, and mandatory safety induction for contract workers. He added that the state is revising its inspection system to be “facilitative, not just punitive” and will reward units with clean safety records. Maharashtra Labour Minister Akash Fundkar said cross-state sharing of best practices is critical, especially for MSMEs operating in both states. “Maharashtra and Goa can create a common safety skilling module for workers who migrate for jobs,” he said.  The summit features 45 exhibitors showcasing PPE innovations, IoT sensors for boiler monitoring, AI-enabled helmets, fire safety drones, and VR-based safety training modules. Technical sessions will cover the new Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, chemical safety, ergonomics in IT parks, and mental health at work.Industry Response. GCCI President Pratima Dhond welcomed the expo and said Goa’s industries are ready to invest in safety tech but need handholding on cost and compliance. “Safety is productivity. Downtime from accidents costs more than prevention,” she said.  Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar said the Inspectorate will launch a ‘Safety Star Rating’ for factories in Goa, with incentives for top performers.