Bhilai, August 17, 2018: Two workmen of Bhilai Steel Plant suffered burns in an industrial mishap which occurred at Blast Furnace # 1 in the wee hours of Friday. One of the victims suffered almost 80% burns on his body. His condition was reported to be critical. The second victim has also suffered burns but he is out of danger. The victims are contract labour Ravi Kumar Jangde and FFRC employee Emanuel Minj (Stove Tender). Jangde’s condition was reported to be critical.
According to information, the incident occurred at around 03:30 hrs on the intervening night of Friday. Tapping of hot metal was being conducted and the same was being poured into the ladles. Suddenly, the hot metal overflowed from one of the ladles and spilled on the ground. Some employees asserted that the hot metal splashed out of the ladle with a blast. The contract labour Ravi Kumar Jangde suffered burns from the hot metal splash. Emanuel Minj was standing at some distance but he too suffered burns from the drops of hot metal. Shift In-charge Vikas Nashine rushed the victims to Main Medical Post from where they were shifted to the Burn Unit of JLN Hospital.
Ferro alloy lying in open: The safety committee and departmental committee of Hindustan Steel Employees Union (CITU) conducted mishap site inspection and conducted discussion with the departmental workers. The team found that the blast occurred in the ladle which was to be sent to Foundry Shop and hence ferro alloy was put in it. It needs to be mentioned here that ferro alloy is put during ladle preparation at LRS. The investigation team immediately rushed to LRS department and found that the ferro alloy was lying in open and had retained water due to rains. LRS employees informed that similar incident had two days ago also when they had put the ferro alloy bag into the ladle but at that time no one was injured. It was suspected that the blast occurred in the ladle due to the wet ferro alloy which was put in it.
Deputy Director (IH&S) conducts inspection: Factory InspectorKK Dwivedi (Deputy Director, Industrial Health and Safety) accompanied with T Pandyaraja (GM Safety) and YK Srivastava (DGM Safety) also conducted inspection at the mishap site. Some employees detailed them about the wet ferro alloy bags which were lying in open at LRS. The employees further informed them that two days ago the pipe had broken down while pouring hot metal into the ladle. Fortunately no one was hurt during that incident. After conducting inspection, the delegation of CITU discussed the matter with ED (Works) PK Das, DP Satpathi (DGM, Personnel) and B Maharana (GM, Services). The probe team detailed the top executives about the conclusion of their inspection. GM (Works) assured to take appropriate action.
INTUC team conducts inspection: A team of Steel Employees Union (INTUC) also conducted inspection at the mishap site and discussed the issue with the GM (BFs) AP Srivastava and other officials. The probe team led by SK Baghel (GS, SEU) suspected that the blast occurred due to presence of water in the ladle. They asserted that the mishap was consequent to negligence at work place. They demanded strict action against the people responsible for this incident. The team discovered that any co-worker was not sent to the hospital with the victims. Baghel alleged that it was a very insensitive act on the part of management. During discussion with GM, INTUC leader Rajendra Pillai informed him that the lift of Blast Furnace #3 had fallen down from the third floor on Thursday. Fortunately the employees present in the lift escaped unhurt. GM assured to get the lift inspected and repaired immediately. Chandra Shekhar Singh, Rajendra Pillai, Vansh Bahadur Singh, VK Majumdar and others were present. They visited the JLN Hospital and inquired about the condition of victims.
Kin of victims asked to purchase medicines: Hindustan Ispat Thake Shramik Union leaders Jamil Ahmad condemned the hospital management for behaving in inhuman manner over this incident. He said that the kin of the victims were given prescriptions and were asked to purchase and bring medicines. He said that on one hand the hospital is providing free treatment to the dengue victims while on the other they are unable to afford medicines for a labour who suffered fatal burns while working at BSP. Later under pressure of the union, the contractor agreed to pay for the medicines which were to be purchased.
Negligence of safety norms behind mishaps: Union leaders Yogesh Soni and Jamil Ahmad asserted that the cause of mishaps was negligence of safety norms and exploitation of contract labours. The victim Ravi Kumar Jangde had worked in the second shift on August 16 and then he was made to work in the night shift also. For making more and more profit, the contractors are deploying unskilled contract labours in hazardous works of permanent nature. They asserted that negligence of safety norms and violation of labour laws dragged the contract labour Ravi Kumar Jangde to the suffering end. He is struggling for life with 80% burns on his body. Soni informed that they discussed the issue with GM (safety) but he avoided questions on safety matters.