Is RINL Sitting on a Powder Keg? Are We Waiting for a Repeat of the June 8 Tragedy?
Employees Allege Ageing Coke Oven Batteries, Poor Maintenance and Acute Manpower Shortage Have Heightened Safety Risks
After the accident at Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited’s (RINL) Steel Melting Shop-1 (SMS-1), which claimed eight lives, fresh concerns are emerging from another critical section of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.
Employees of RINL, on condition of strict anonymity, have approached IndianPSU.com, alleging that ageing infrastructure, manpower shortages and delayed maintenance have significantly increased operational and safety risks. They fear that unless urgent corrective measures are taken, the Coke Oven Batteries could become the next major safety concern at the plant.
Photographs accessed by IndianPSU.com show debris accumulated along operational tracks, standing liquid in work areas and poor housekeeping around heavy industrial equipment. While these images raise questions about maintenance standards, they do not by themselves establish the causes of the conditions or confirm the technical allegations made by employees.
Employees Flag Multiple Safety Concerns
According to employees, severe manpower shortages have affected routine housekeeping and preventive maintenance across the Coke Oven Department.
Workers allege that waste and debris are often left unattended, causing recurring problems in the movement of the Pusher Car. They also claim that tar cleaning inside the Gas Collecting Main (GCM) is frequently delayed, leading to continuous leakage of ammonia (NH₃) liquor from the GCM and sludge boxes.
Another concern relates to the operation of the Drive End (DE) Car. Employees allege that a CRD high-voltage cable is being used in place of the designated Mono DE trolley line. They fear that hot coke falling on the DE platform could damage the cable, potentially creating a serious electrical hazard.
Employees have further alleged that several structural members in the coke oven area have deteriorated due to inadequate maintenance and require immediate attention.
IndianPSU.com has not independently verified these allegations.
‘Technical Warnings Are Being Ignored’
Several employees and retired technocrats claim they have repeatedly highlighted the need for urgent maintenance and refurbishment of the Coke Oven Batteries.
According to them, recommendations made by experienced engineers, officers’ associations and trade unions have not received adequate attention. Some employees also allege that operational decisions are increasingly influenced outside the plant, limiting the management’s ability to take timely maintenance decisions.
These claims have not been independently verified.
Need for an Independent Safety Audit
Coke oven batteries are among the most critical and maintenance-intensive units in an integrated steel plant. Their safe operation depends on regular inspection, preventive maintenance and adequate manpower.
The concerns raised by employees, coupled with the conditions visible in the photographs, warrant an independent technical safety audit to objectively assess the health of the coke oven batteries and associated infrastructure.
For many employees, it is a case of being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. They worry about the deteriorating working conditions but are equally apprehensive about the consequences of voicing their concerns.
IndianPSU.com reached out to RINL CMD M.V.N.S. Prabhakar seeking his response to the concerns raised by employees. However, he chose not to respond. Surprisingly, instead of addressing the issues, he blocked our phone number. Whether blocking journalists can resolve the serious challenges confronting RINL is a question only he can answer. Such an approach reflects poorly on the spirit of transparency, accountability, and constructive engagement expected from the head of a major public sector enterprise.
Editor’s Note: The greatest tribute RINL can pay to the eight workers who lost their lives on June 8 is not through compensation or condolences, but by ensuring that every warning sign is investigated and every preventable risk is eliminated before history repeats itself.
