Plant Level Mock Drill Conducted At RINL

Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), Visakhapatnam Steel Plant conducted a Plant Level Mock Drill on 29.12.2023 today as part of onsite emergency preparedness under the guidance of Shri. J Sivasankara Reddy, Joint Chief Inspector of Factories, Government of AP, Visakhapatnam.

A mock emergency scenario of occurrence of fire while opening the Safety valve flange of BT 409 Non- Aromatics tank (NA) at Benzol Plant of Co&CCP Dept. was enacted, in which one person was considered to be affected with fire burns and another person was affected with injury in leg while rushing down the staircase in hurry. On noticing the fire, the maintenance personnel started shouting ” Fire, Fire , Fire”. One of the persons used the local fire extinguisher to quench the fire but the fire became out of control. On hearing loud cries of the employees, the incident controller immediately initiated emergency response procedures like starting of fire water pumps to spray water (through shell spray) and foam water spraying from fire monitors. Water spraying through Shell spray of affected tank 409 and nearby tanks 408/ 1&2, 412, 403 / 1&2 continued till the fire subsided. Subsequently, emergency mitigation measures were demonstrated by all the teams of VSP including Co&CPP Dept employees, CISF Fire and Security, Medical services, Gas Safety, Safety engineering department, Environment Management Dept. etc in controlling the situation, rescuing the affected personnel and minimizing the losses. During the mock drill, fixed and mobile fire fighting installations, water curtain systems, First aid and rescue equipment etc were effectively deployed. As part of the mock drill, the employees and CISF personnel carried out the rescue operation and shifted the affected persons from the spot using stretchers to the First Aid Centre by Ambulance.

During the review session of the Mock drill, Shri J. Shiva Shankar Reddy, Joint Chief Inspector of Factories, Government of AP, Visakhapatnam appreciated the efforts of RINL in effectively training the employees and demonstrating the preparedness during emergencies. He also gave some valuable suggestions for making the safety systems to a higher degree of effectiveness.

Shri U Sridhar, CGM (Maintenance &Mills), RINL Shri Uttam Brahma, GM (Services), RINL, Shri Naveen Kumar, Dy. Commandant, CISF witnessed the mock drill. HODs of Co&CCP, Safety engineering departments, Senior officers from Co&CCP Dept, Safety Engg Dept, WMD, EMD, EnMD, Instrumentation, HR, Medical, CISF and some of Central Safety Committee members of the plant also have attended the mock drill. Representative officers from M/s NTPC-Simhadri , one of the mutual aid partners of RINL and other officials also attended and witnessed the mock drill.