One detained after two youths die due to suspected chemical suffocation inside public toilet in Mumbai.
Please see the above links.
Sep 30, 2026
Sep 29, 2026
Cooperation among personnel of operation and other teams
A facility will have multiple teams working to achieve the organization's objectives.
R&D, maintenance, safety, quality control and assurance, environment management, fire services, purchase, stores, transport, security, administration, accounts, etc are the groups that have to work together with operational teams to work for collective target of production meeting quality, without causing damage or affecting workers, public, environment, property. This alone can lead to existence of the organization. Else, a day will come to shut the operations and lock the doors.
Everyone should remember this. No one can work independently like an ostrich, ignoring all other intertwined issues.
Nobody should bulldoze others. All should come to same platform so as to meet organizational goals by complying with all applicable requirements including legal. "Ignorance of law is not an excuse", is the most commonly heard statement. No escape from this.
Some will get happiness and overwhelming pleasure by violations. They think that they fooled safety personnel, regulators,.. They boast of how they MANAGED these persons and shown who is the boss in their domain.
Some others do all nonsense, without telling.
Making wrong things undetected or not told will only increase confidence levels leading to more to follow.
Sound or no sound, these type of narrow minded people, suddenly become scared when investigation starts. They try to point finger on others. They want credit but not accountability.
Silence is the biggest sound. The time between doing wrong thing and its exposure is the silent or lull period, before things go wrong and make big impact on others.
We are not authorized to cause damage to persons and environment. If not able to meet, then, other means are to be explored and followed so as to comply. We may think, nobody is watching, but, when something goes wrong, all skeletons hidden will come out.
Somany examples are there in the history. Let us learn. Everybody can’t escape.
Sep 24, 2026
Contractor loses consciousness and dies during work in a refinery
A contractor dies during work in a refinery after becoming unconscious suddenly.
Please go through the information in the following link.
The reason for losing consciousness suddenly can be either from exposure to toxic environment or health conditions or combination of both.
Following work to permit system helps to review scope of work, preparedness, training, health conditions, JHA, SOP, supervision, etc.
In my organization where I worked before superannuation this year April, we check medical fitness of the persons as required for each work engaged.
Sep 17, 2026
Refrigerator blast causes four deaths, two seriously injured
A refrigerator explodes in Belgavi, Karnataka state, India in the midnight leading to fire, four deaths and another two seriously injured. https://youtu.be/8OesXUZ-bas?si=se8F5nmuYqvNsJUy
The occupants apparently brought the idol of Lord Ganesha for festival celebration, decorated with lights, and slept near refrigerator. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/belagavi-refrigerator-blast-family-killed-karnataka-10878368/
The refrigerant used can be flammable. Otherwise also, the gas will expand if it is exposed to heat, causing pressure rise and leads tp physical explosion.
Clogged condenser coils (we can’t see clogging with naked eyes) behind refrigerator can trap compressed gas, results in pressure rise and explosion. Short circuit can lead to fires, explosion of compressor or compressed gas lines.
Refrigerator is an essential item used by everyone.
It can happen to any refrigerator. Search in internet on refrigerator functioning
https://youtu.be/JUQ2Aw8W3BI?si=dzZ6FdsgkWPH5m1d and reasons for possible explosion
https://commercialfridgerepairs.com.au/what-causes-a-fridge-explosion-how-to-prevent-it/ makes us to be cautious in placing of refrigerator to keep proper gap without obstruction between the unit and wall (six inch or more), be watchful for heating, have proper earthing, not to keep hot sources like lamps/candles/flames ..., have proper wiring, carry regular maintenance checks atleast ince in a year, or as advised by OEM / supplier/ maintenance experts for the item used.
Sep 13, 2026
Economic Times - Tata Steel scaling up AI, connected workforce systems to boost industrial safety
Tata Steel is scaling up AI, connected workforce systems to boost industrial safety https://share.google/UaQc7m9hhqzO4fvxa
Effort by Tata Steel management to use AI for improving safety in workplace is worth emulating by industrial organizations in a manner appropriate to nature of operations, work controls and safety performance.
AI, as I understand, analyzes the available inputs / data, feed to analyse and to chalk out suitable course of action. Hence, accuracy of all data inputs needs to be ensured so as to use the same for analysis of fresh data.
It is better to have systems that rely less on human intervention. Lesser the human interface, better is the safety. However, monitoring and review periodically is required to confirm that the setup is functioning as intended and there will not be any surprises.
One may start on a small scale like execution in a section, understand, see the outcome and proceed further.
Dummy runs / trials are to be made before going for full scale implementation.
Regulators too may develop a code or guide to give a direction to organizations for effective implementation.
Sep 10, 2026
Why do we have hazards, what to do?
No workplace will be free from hazards. However best may be an organization, still one can find something that can cause some damage, to persons/environment/property.
What are the reason(s)?
Nothing new. Everybody knows. Unknowingly or otherwise we are the reason.
We are preoccupied mentally or physically. Issues at home cause major distraction. Health, education, career, property matters, marriage etc of family members or self; traffic during commute, vehicle breakdown, etc make us to keep thinking even at workplace, thereby overlooking workplace issues.
At work, distractions / stress can be from superiors, peers, subordinates, unions, in addition to plant activities.
We feel like a football kicked by everyone, thereby not able to do a job without break.
We are human beings and these are unavailable.
It is easy to tell, don't bring domestic issues to work and don't carry office problems to home. May be, only very few can practice this. In majority of the cases, quite impossible.
Some other reasons for hazards are, not having knowledge, not having resources, procedural delays in tendering and placing orders, OR, ignorance and lethargy.
So, there will be hazards, not noticed, not attended for whatever reason, a few are listed above.
What to do?
Again, it is already known.
Have inspections, individually and with teams. Daily, weekly, monthly, ...
Develop reporting culture. Don't blame the person reporting the issues. Instead, encourage and thank them with a pat, appreciation in Shopfloor, during functions having huge gathering. It will motivate everyone. This way, atleast someone will identify issues. Then, action is to be taken for addressing both for correction and also on root causes.
Have checklists for each and every equipment, activity including general or common areas. Let it be communicated, displayed and followed. Let managers review implementation and present reports in management meetings.
Similarly for behaviors. There is no end to behavioral actions exhibited by persons. Training and supervision help for safe productivity.
Some other actions are, review of design, layout, process inputs and outputs, parameters; change modification procedures, emergency management, employee orientation, training and retraining.
Both O&M and safety personnel shall review and monitor.
Keep an eye on what is happening in other organizations, take lessons and implement.
Keep in touch with vendors to know what is latest and is useful to improve safety and productivity.
Nobody in the management sanctions only production or only safety.
There should not be any damage to property or persons or environment.
Production with safety is the need. Definitely safe work place leads to better production.
This should be conveyed to everyone in Shopfloor meetings with data. Better to use organization data. If not available, use data from others.
We can’t escape law. This awareness too needs understanding by everyone.
Involve workmen (regular and outsourced) in all activities. They provide best inputs and they are the ones executing. If they understood and followed, managers can concentrate on growth of organization.
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