RSP reiterates commitment to gas safety---Says rumours about gas leak baseless, unfounded

Rourkela: Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) has put in place an effective and efficient system of gas safety while plant authorities have been continuing its endeavour for safety of its fuel gas lines, besides taking of safety measures for its employees. Like any other integrated steel plant, RSP too has a very big network of fuel gas lines.

In the past few days, there have been rumours about continuous gas leakage from CPP-I. However, the plant authorities have dismissed them as entirely baseless, asserting that there has not been even a single instance of people falling ill or even showing the slightest symptoms related to gas exposure.

The RSP authorities stated that such kind of rumours will de-motivate the employees and instill fear in the minds of their family members leading to an ambience of apprehension and uncertainty.

At this critical juncture, all Rourkelites should come together and not get swayed by these kinds of unfounded rumours, thereby strengthening the efforts of the employees as they march towards their goal.

For operation and maintenance of these utility lines, a specialized group of people in each department is specially trained and engaged throughout the length and breadth of the plant. Each group comprises personnel from EMD and departments concerned. These groups are invariably in continual interaction and experience sharing with different units of SAIL as well as private sector, adapted and adopted the best practices in the industry.

They also follow recognized standards like Inter-Plant Standards for Steel Industry (IPSS), Rourkela Steel Norm (RSN) for various inspection and maintenance activities. Besides, a system has been put in place for regular updating of the knowledge base so as to keep in tune with the latest standards.

Priority has been given on examination of any abnormality/defect in the grid on day-to-day basis, which is recorded in the prescribed format, discussed with planning and maintenance group of the department concerned and taken up for repair immediately.

Significantly, the RSP has been known in the SAIL family as having best practices for gas grid management. In the recent past, many repair and replacement jobs were taken up to upkeep the health of gas lines, sometimes even at the cost of production. Safety Engineering and Environment Engineering Departments of the RSP in collaboration with state authorities always keep a close watch on any job being taken up on gas lines.

The authorities have no dearth of resources as far as gas safety is concerned while utmost priority on safety of the employees has always been given.

With the RSP in the final phases of its massive expansion programme, the area is expected to witness a sea of progress and prosperity. To achieve this mission, the employees of the RSP are working with single minded devotion and dedication.