Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP), the flagship unit of the public sector Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), held a Safety Leadership Workshop in Bhilai and discussed in details how to avoid industrial accidents.
BSP had hit headlines last month when its 13 workers were charred to death and several others critically injured in a gas pipeline blast. Following the blast, the production at the plant was halted as hundreds of workers had refused to resume work complaining about poor safety measures.
The accident had also pulled down shares of SAIL and the steel giant has now decided to restore its image by improving safety standards with an exclusive Safety Leadership Workshop programme.
“The Management of Bhilai Steel Plant has taken several positive steps for promotion of safety. Rs Rs A Safety Leadership Workshop was held on Friday for the top officials of BSP in the auditorium of Human Resource Development Center, this important workshop was held by the Safety Engineering Department of the plant’’ a press release of the BSP informed.
KK Dwivedi, Deputy Director (Industrial Health and Safety) Chhattisgarh government graced the occasion as the chief guest while SK Khairul Basar, Executive Director (Materials Management) was present as special guest. Surendra Singh, General Manager (Safety and Fire Services) was also present.
Geoffrey Dean Kurie, Chief Health, Safety and Environment Officer of Vedanta Group of BALCO at Korba in Chhattisgarh was specially invited to address this high level workshop. Kurie, who hails from Australia, is widely recognised as an expert of safety principles. He has played a leading role in improving safety management of various institutions.
Kurie has also played important role in the development of safety management in South Asia. He has prepared road safety programs for India and is widely known as a world-class safety strategist.
Surendra Singh welcomed the participants and said, Rs Rs leadership has an important role in safety management. It is leadership decisions that make it possible for creation of a safe environment. We will learn a lot from Kurie’s rich and wide experience, which will enable us to strive for achieving the goal of zero accident’’.
In his address, KK Dwivedi said, Rs Rs human beings are conscious of security since birth, but over time, they start becoming overconfident. Because of which they invite accidents by taking unnecessary risks. Hence, it is up-to the leadership to stop such recklessness and encourage safe behaviour’’.
Starting with this very high level workshop in a very interesting manner, Geoffrey Dean Kurie said that the business performance of institutions that improve their safety performance, is also excellent.
“It is the work of every leader that he prepares the atmosphere to create a safe environment for work in the department. By which safety becomes part of our work culture. A leader should never compromise on safety. Leadership should not only be displayed in speeches on safety, but it also has to be displayed in our daily behaviour and everyday activities. We should remember that with safe production, we can scale new peaks in business’’ remarked Kurie.
At the end of the programme, GP Singh, Departmental Security Officer and DGM (Instrumentation) proposed the vote of thanks. The workshop was conducted by Shovan Ghosh of Safety Engineering department.
