Safety Officer Arrested After Contract Laborer Died

SAFETY MGMT STUDY August 11, 2024

Safety Officer Arrested After Contract Laborer Died

Jharsuguda (AoBureau): SMC Power Generation Ltd Unit-2’s Safety Officer, Kumar Sahoo, was taken into custody and sent to court for allegedly causing the death of a contract laborer called Devnarayan Mahato. The incident happened on Sunday morning, when Mahato fell into the furnace in plant SMS unit-2.

Badmal IIC Rajendra Sial confirmed that this arrest came under Badmal Case No. 313/24. This is going to lead an investigation by police since the tragic accident led to his death at Jharsuguda. Nayagarh District Sunamuhi resident Sahoo may have been negligent, which could have contributed to the man’s death.

This has resulted in increasing concerns about safety protocols and labour conditions at SMC Power Generation Ltd plant. The company’s operational safety measures are being reviewed by law enforcement agencies with a view of ascertaining if they were enough to avoid this calamity.

It is highly recommended that safety officers and management personnel for industries maintain all-inclusive legal papers such as:

HSE induction training registers
Job specific training records
Pre-job briefings for tasks, associated hazards and mitigation plans
Emergency response plan training registers
Permit-to-work standards & guidelines
Medical examination registers
Risk assessment register books
EHS -related requirements e.g PPE usage log book, height work and confined space entry procedures

Ensuring that necessary arrangements are made according to regulatory requirements is vital for ensuring safe working environments are guaranteed for employees at all times thereby attaining efficiency in operations of firms while avoiding accidents, diseases or environmental pollution resulting from human activities in workplace environments provided the regulations have been adhered (Cornelissen et al., 2011). If documents or actions are missing in this regard, it is imperative to inform top management through writing to avoid any potential dangers.

Our role as HSE/Safety Officers should always be remembered to be an advisory one. Implementing the above EHS standards and safety norms rests with Project Heads, RCM & other management team members, as per regulatory requirements.