Bhubaneswar: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium and value-added products, observed the 50th National Safety Week from 4th – 10th March at its alumina refinery at Lanjigarh, and aluminium & power operations at Jharsuguda, in Odisha. As part of the commemoration, various activities like awareness campaigns, quizzes and interactive sessions with employees and business partners were conducted in line with this year’s National Safety Day theme ‘Learn from disaster and prepare for a safer future’ to reinstate and reinforce the principles, rules and regulations of safety at the workplace.
During the National Safety Week, the company also launched an e-Learning CHESS [Consolidated Health, Environment, Safety and Sustainability (HSE&S)] module for the leadership, covering the different aspects of the HSE&S functions. Takeaways from this module will be further imparted to other employees and business partners and practised in Vedanta’s day to day operations.
Reiterating Vedanta’s safety practices and standards, Mr. Rahul Sharma, Dy. CEO Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd., said, “Vedanta puts in global best practices and rigorous processes to make its world-class operations safe for employees and business partners. In our mission to become the world’s best in aluminium, we are committed to deploying cutting edge technology and adopting best-in-class global practices, aligned with our culture of care, to create a safer and responsible workplace for our people.”
Vedanta is extensively working towards creating a safe workplace for its employees and business partners by bolstering its performance in safety, health and environment, while driving steady enhancement in its Safety Management System.
Mr. Sandip Kumar, Site In charge – JCPL, Vedanta’s business partner for operation and maintenance of the Bauxite Handling Unit of Vedanta, Lanjigarh, says, “Vedanta consistently tries to streamline and enhance safety performance within and beyond the plant premises contributing towards their adage of Zero Harm. The company has incorporated advanced safety initiatives and digital interventions for efficient safety management to foster a culture of care for all stakeholders. Throughout the year, they make regular and robust efforts to share knowledge and update every person associated with them on safety standards and best practices.”
For integrating advanced policies, management systems and best-in-class practices to create safety-focused operations based on the three primary pillars Zero Harm, Zero Waste and Zero Discharge, Vedanta has bagged many accolades such as APEX INDIA Green Leaf Award, CII’s 16th Environment, Health & Safety Award, Greentech Safety and Sustainability award, and Kalinga Safety Excellence award over the years. Some of its best practices, highlights and notable initiatives in the safety domain are:
• Vedanta has instituted the Vedanta Sustainability Assurance Programme (VSAP), a robust governance system following International Finance Corporation (IFC) & International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) guidelines that guide its operations and measures performance across 34 elements, with safety as a core dimension.
• It has institutionalized Visible Felt Leadership, where the leadership teams of various units are tasked with observing and assessing the safety of employees and business partners at work through regular visits and interactions at shopfloors.
• At its Jharsuguda operations, the company has launched the Safety Booster Program that aims to overcome safety gaps arising out of cultural and behaviour issues, and inculcate a culture of safety through coaching, counselling, monitoring and feedback on safety behaviour.
• Vedanta has formed an all-women fire-fighting team ‘Agnivahini’ at Jharsuguda, who have been meticulously trained to act effectively and efficiently in emergency situations.
• At Jharsuguda operations, robust Safety MIP (Management in Place) allows it to deploy personnel with the required safety skillset, knowledge and attitude at the right place within the safety structure, making safety a shared responsibility. Additionally, it also has Safety Scorecards for leadership & business partners that link performance with safety at the site.
• At the alumina refinery in Lanjigarh, the company has digitalized various aspects of safety like deployment of Leadership-Safety Interaction Portal, to ensure strict adherence to safety across all levels.
• At regular intervals, both units conduct Safety Stand Down, a programme wherein leadership teams engage with employees and business partners on various facets of health, safety and environment, to build a holistic safety-first culture.
Vedanta Aluminium & Power, a part of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, producing almost half of India’s aluminium or 1.9 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) in FY20, and is also one of the largest private power producers in the country. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class smelters, power plants and alumina refinery spread across India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.
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