Safety stewards are crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of personnel at project sites, being responsible for a wide range of critical tasks, including the implementation and enforcement of safety protocols, emergency procedures, and first aid measures. A deep understanding of hazard identification, risk assessment, use of PPE and strong communication skills to effectively manage crowds & handle emergencies are imperatives for their success.

However, good, qualified safety stewards are hard to come by, primarily due to a shortage of skilled candidates, the added challenges of retaining them, and refreshing their technical knowhow to implement modern safety technologies like surveillance systems and automated alerts.

Safety training at CSTI Bangalore

The FLS Safety Steward programme

Launched in June 2023 by K Asok Kumar, the then Executive Vice President & Head of WET IC, along with E P Sajit, Senior Vice President & Head – WET IC, the initial programme had two batches of 90 trainees, with the course divided into two parts: a 33-day intensive safety training at the Construction Skills Training Institute (CSTI), Bangalore, followed by a 44-day interpersonal skill development programme at the Corporate Technology & Engineering Academy (C‑TEA) in Mysore.

“Our comprehensive in-house Front Line Staff (FLS) Safety Steward programme, supported by CSTI Bangalore and C‑TEA Mysore, has been designed specifically for ITI graduates,” informs K S Sudheesh Kumar, Head – EHS, WET IC, “to address the challenges in recruiting and training safety stewards by equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in this vital role.”

Candidates are shortlisted through an eligibility test followed by an interview and, thereafter during training, are provided adequate facilities like accommodation, food, and a monthly stipend of ₹10,000.

Safety training

During Part 1 of the programme, they are given a deep dive into several aspects of safety. The faculty includes EHS experts from WET IC; each trainer conducts three-day sessions, and the content is prepared and circulated by the Audit & Training Cell Department from the IC’s EHS team at HQ. Weekly assessments test the effectiveness of the training, with all the results recorded to conduct skills gap analysis.

The programme covers an exhaustive list of 30 topics including general construction safety, occupational health hazards, HIRA / EAISR, basic ergonomic principles, fire safety, ViewEHS app – work permit systems & inspection procedures, Power BI dashboard monitoring, accident investigation, safety audits, disaster management, excavation, work at height & in confined spaces, scaffolding, gas cutting & welding, tunnel work, marine / work over water, pipe testing, controlled blasting, working on narrow roads / public roads, mock drills, and more.

Interpersonal skill development

Interpersonal skill development at C‑TEA Mysore 

Armed with 77 days of training, the Stewards are then deployed to various project sites for on-the-job training under the guidance of EHS managers, who work on continuously enhancing their performance through feedback, guidance, and additional training as and when required.

“This initiative has not only improved safety standards but also contributed to social change by recruiting and upskilling local people, and making them a part of the nation-building process,” Sudheesh notes with a smile, glad at the success of their smart initiative to drive safety.