ecchelmet “Never walk past an Unsafe Act or Situation!”
Message of S N Subrahmanyan, CEO & Managing Director, Larsen & Toubro on the L&T Safety Day, July 4th, the birth anniversary of Henning Holck-Larsen.
The concept of Safety, in recent times, has assumed an entirely new relevance in our lives, as we have stood together and fought the pandemic. While our own health and safety and that of our employees, workmen and loved ones has been top priority, now with things improving, we need to re-focus, re-align and re-orient ourselves to push progress to recover lost ground.
ESG & Safety
As momentum picks up, it is our collective responsibility to keep our colleagues and workplaces safe. Safety is a crucial consideration even within the ESG (Environment, Social & Governance) framework that is rapidly gaining relevance. Our Safety Management Systems are constantly under scrutiny, and although we are an International Standard ISO 450001 accredited Company, we need to constantly demonstrate our commitment to achieving Mission Zero Harm.
While our own health and safety and that of our employees, workmen and loved ones has been top priority, now with things improving, we need to re-focus, re-align and re-orient ourselves to push progress to recover lost ground.
Digital for Safety
Several of our digital solutions are helping to significantly improve our Safety performance. The Safety App, rolled out in different forms across all businesses and project sites, covers almost every aspect of the safety process and ensures that everything is recorded at the source on the field in real-time, with online verifications and approval for complete safety process compliance. Using the surveillance cameras already installed at sites and manufacturing facilities, the Computer Vision Technology, based on Artificial Intelligence, has dramatically improved our detection of unsafe acts and situations. RFIDs and remote sensors track personnel by continuously checking their body functions when involved in hazardous work and keep them safe by preventing them from wandering into ‘no-go’ or dangerous zones.
Safety non-compliance detection
AR & VR are taking training to the next level
Experiential and immersive training through Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality modules have made safety training extremely impactful. Simple 3‑minute modules on situations like working at heights, in confined spaces, emergency evacuation, firefighting and even gas-cutting delivered to workmen at sites in local languages with VR glasses are conveying a powerful safety message with a lasting impact as they experience the hazard virtually without the pain of having to go through it.
VR Training modules
Safety innovation School – for customised training
Briefing participants on soft fall
Our Safety Innovation School is helping to build a positive safety culture and match our EHS management practices to global standards. With well-developed infrastructure and equipped with the latest devices and demo products our supervisors and engineers are trained hands-on by experienced trainers and subject matter experts from various professional bodies and OEMs on a host of subjects ranging from basic construction safety topic-specific training programmes based on specific business requirements. Using the latest technologies like VR, trainees get a 360-degree and ‘real’ experience that enhances understanding and improves knowledge retention. More and more of our people need to take advantage of this facility to improve our safety quotient.
It is imperative that we never walk past an Unsafe Act or Situation that reflects an attitude of zero tolerance to anything unsafe. Every unsafe act or condition is a potential accident waiting to happen. We must prevent such accidents.
Training is imparted by simulating real life situations
As we move forward into a new orbit of recovery and growth, we need to show the same courage, flexibility, resilience and caring that we have shown in the past several months to succeed. Always, keeping safety at the centre of things.
Good housekeeping is a critical safety consideration
Good housekeeping
The better the housekeeping at sites, the better is their EHS performance. It is heartening to see that businesses across the Company have put a premium on good housekeeping. Regular half-hour checks and weekly mass drives involving both employees and workmen to ensure proper stacking of material, prompt clearance of debris and so on are showing encouraging results. The introduction of QR codes to maintain a housekeeping score card, electronic housekeeping indicators, regular assessments and rewards & recognition are creating a positive culture for a cleaner and safer workplace. Safety is no accident and good housekeeping is one way to avoid incidents.
Recognition for our Safety performance
The slew of international and national awards our businesses and projects have won is due recognition of our ever-improving EHS standards. Last year, eight of our B&F projects won the ‘Sword of Honour’ which is considered the pinnacle of EHS performance. The 64 RoSPA ‘Golds’ won by our various projects over 2020 and 2021 thus far and the whole host of other international and national awards of merit reflect our commitment towards Safety. This is a good habit to follow.
Never ignore an unsafe act or situation
It is imperative that we never walk past an Unsafe Act or Situation that reflects an attitude of zero tolerance to anything unsafe. Every unsafe act or condition is a potential accident waiting to happen. We must prevent such accidents. We do have a healthy culture of near miss reporting which must be encouraged, even among our workmen.
The formation of the EHS Council under the leadership of Subramanian Sarma — Wholetime Director & Senior Executive Vice President (Energy), has given our EHS effort new direction and verve, and we need to continue the good work.
As we move forward into a new orbit of recovery and growth, we need to show the same courage, flexibility, resilience and caring that we have shown in the past several months to succeed. Always, keeping safety at the centre of things.
Stay safe. It is imperative for our continued success.