Swarn Shakti Award presented to NTPC Simhadri, Visakhapatnam

The ‘NTPC Raising Day’ celebrations were held in New Delhi on Saturday. Here, the NTPC Simhadri Super Thermal Power Station, located at Parawada on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam, was given the ‘Swarn Shakti’ award. The award comes under the Safety (O&M) category recognising innovative safety measures implemented at the unit during the year 2018-2019.

The award was handed over by the Minister of State (IC), New and Renewable Energy and Minister of State, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, RK Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Power, SN Sahai and CMD, NTPC, Gurdeep Singh to RED, South, PP Kulkarni and CGM, NTPC Simhadri, V Sudharshan Babu.

This NTPC Simhadri unit has been merited for achieving ‘zero accident’ target. As per an official release, the techniques which fetched plaudits range from educational and management control like discussing CFST observations, safety performance through LEAD and LAG indicators, issuance of zone-wise Safety Certificates, screening of safety films and songs, safety induction, as well as creation of a ‘Safety Park’ to other engineering and enforcement measures. These include the use of ‘Hydraulic Platforms’ for height works, safety challan system, safety clearance for contractor’s bills, CCTV network monitoring among others.

Finest practices have been implemented for overhauling safety like setting up of safety control room, monitoring of Permit System to height works and grill openings, daily PEP talks at overhauling site as well as during training programs, pre-overhaul safety inspections, pasting of emergency number stickers on safety helmets for clear employee identification, ensuring the health of EOT crane limit switches etc. Contract workers’ health and stability are accorded equal significance, thus making provisions for rest and rejuvenation. With the involvement of apex authority and pioneering ideas, safety innovation and practices assume the dominant proposition, underlying all activities at the NTPC Simhadri station in Visakhapatnam, the note further added.