Overtime at LPG bottling plants raises safety concerns in the industry

Industry sources say because of higher demand, there is increasing pressure on these plants to work overtime

Almost six months after a massive fire broke out at an LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) bottling plant of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL), at Cherlapally in Hyderabad, the government's decision to give a go-ahead for night shifts at such plants has raised safety concerns in the industry.
 
This decision came after LPG demand increased considerably on the back of government schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) over the past two years. “Earlier, bottling units used to work for eight hours. Now, with clearance from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), we will be allowed to work