ecchelmet Safety Month 2025 launched at Manapakkam HQ
Keeping tradition of over three decades alive, 2,000+ employees of L&T Construction, including our top leadership, gathered on the first working day of 2025 to kick off the Safety Month. Themed ‘Stop. Re-focus. Act.’, the event is a powerful reminder to prioritize achieving Mission Zero Harm, which began with Ms. Niranjana C., Executive Vice President & Head – Finance & Accounts, Divisional Corporate, leading the taking of the Safety Pledge.
Translate leadership commitment to action
Recalling his experience of celebrating the Safety Month in Zernograd, Russia, 30 years ago, Mr. M. V. Satish (MVS), Advisor to the CMD, expressed pride that L&T was embarking on new projects in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
“Despite several efforts, fatalities remain a serious concern, and we must translate leadership commitment into action at every level,” he urged, mentioning the formation of the Serious Incident Review Committee (SIRC) to investigate all fatalities and the reward & penalty system with a 20-crore reward for fatality-free working and a 10-crore penalty for fatalities as thoughtful steps to drive safety.
“Our key focus areas must be scaffolding safety, workmen training, and zero tolerance in high-risk jobs,” he emphasized.
“I encourage greater participation from all the ICs in the Safety Innovation School, Kanchipuram, where training coverage has grown by 49% over the past year.”
The Theme: Up Close & Personal
“STOP – When we pause, we recognize hazards and break the cycle of repeated mistakes. REFOCUS – Is our chance to reassess risks and make safety our primary focus. ACT – Is our duty to take proactive steps, reflecting our CMD’s powerful message: ‘We Can, We Will, & We Will Get It Done.’” elaborated Mr. S. V. Desai (SVD), Whole-Time Director & Senior Executive Vice President (Civil Infrastructure). “Every L&T‑ite must adopt these principles, maintain discipline, and use technology and training as key enablers,” SVD urged. “While safety protocols exist, our role is to continuously review, refine, and reinforce them at every level.”
Overconfidence: A Silent Threat
Dwelling on the dangers of overconfidence and taking things for granted, Mr. T. Madhava Das (TMD), Whole-Time Director & Senior Executive Vice President (Utilities) said, “A fixed mindset leads to complacency, which can result in overlooking risks. Each one of us – whether an IC head, Project Director, or FLS – must be accountable for safety.” He emphasized the need for proper planning with risk assessments to prevent last-minute safety oversights, to never be complacent about safety protocols, and that Safety is a collective responsibility.
The Five Pillars of Safety
Mr. Sthaladipti Saha (SDS), Senior Vice President & Head – Buildings & Factories IC, introduced the five essential pillars of safety: cultural mindset, processes, tools, skill sets, and risk assessment. One challenge he highlighted was the high attrition rate among workmen, which called for continuous training efforts. He debunked a common myth – that safety and quality could slow down progress. “In fact,” he emphasized, “safe practices enhance productivity and profitability. To reinforce this, we must restrict high-risk activities like plant & machinery erection on Sundays to enhance control and supervision.”
Campaigns during Safety Month 2025
Enthusiastically, Mr. Nigel Wirtz, Head – EHS, Heavy Civil Infrastructure IC, officially launched the Safety Month campaign, announcing an exciting lineup of activities including training programmes, mock drills & live demonstrations, guest lectures, and recognition & rewards for outstanding safety practices.
A Collective Commitment to Safety
In closing, Mr. M. Nachiappan, Senior DGM (EHS), B&F IC, thanked the leadership and every employee for their commitment to safety and various stakeholders like Corporate Communications, FMD, and IC EHS teams for organizing the event, which was efficiently anchored by Mr. Krishnaa Lakshmanan, Assistant Manager – Corporate Communications.