The Meer decision and tank farms: Part two

The Meer decision and tank farms: Part two: Which EPA Risk Management Plan tier level fits your facility?

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Occupational Safety and Health Tips for Workplaces

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Corona virus - lockdown - employment - financial management - some thoughts

Now, a month of lockdown period is experienced by us with not much physical activity. Don't know how many more days it will continue. Seeing what was done in its origin, may be we have to undergo another month or more like this.

One observation made is that public is not going for panic stocking of house hold items. As promised by governments, vegetables, fruits, groceries are available, though shopping time is limited. I feel that restriction of timings for purchase of these items by public should not be limited. Limited time means crowds in shops thereby defeating the norm of social distancing. To avoid public roaming around in the name of shopping, present checks by police shall be continued. Persons found at distance far off than from their residence (3 km) shall be charge sheeted unless valid reason as required by government is available. 

I also feel that keeping the vehicles caught on roads by police will be a headache for them. Instead, hefty penalties shall be collected on the spot to discourage them. The amounts can be like Rs 2000 for person plying on the road without valid need, additional amounts for having more than one on bike and more than two in four wheeler, like wise. In addition, routine penalties like not having helmet, or not wearing seat belt, over speeding, etc amounts shall be charged. 

It is observed in some places that vehicles were parked on the road. Public road can't be a parking place for private vehicles. Owners of these vehicles shall be charged for this and asked to remove them. They can't make profits at the cost of public.

Industries in which chemical storages are in place shall have proper surveillance round the clock to ensure that there will not be any untoward incident. No operation does not mean that everything will be safe. House keeping shall be ensured at all times. Protections systems like fire detection and alarm system, fire extinguishing system etc shall be checked for their functionality. Weekly checks shall be done for this. Necessary permissions shall be taken from local authorities for personnel engaged in these essential services to attend their duties.

Government suggested not to operate canteens in industrial premises. But, I feel that under proper checks, persons shall be engaged for operating canteen services. There can be several issues in bringing the food from home. They can be odd hours, stress on the person making food, etc. Canteens can serve food packets to make it easier for preparation as well as for employees. 

Regarding continuation of personnel in the jobs, tt will be stressful for both the management as well as employees under conditions when plants are not operating, but management has to pay salaries without getting any income. At the same time, if they want to remove persons, it will be painful to the employees and their families. It is also problem for the managements to hire such trained and skilled persons, once things become normal. Governments advised not to remove anybody from service and to ensure monthly payment. I read somewhere that even few decades ago during lockdown because of cholera, the then governments gave paid leaves.

As a middle level solution, I feel that industry should have two types of components in the salary package. One is minimum pay which will be paid irrespective of person is working or not. It is like the pay for qualification and experience. This can include PF, house rent allowance and medical insurance/allowance. Second payment is for the performance. That is for the output delivered when works are allotted. This can include various perks like transport allowance, performance incentives, LTC, etc. When person is not given work, but to retain talent, the assured pay can make the employee to be available and even can motivate him to acquire additional skills so that he can make himself more useful to the organization and that he will be engaged so that he can get performance pay. In order to retain the person, certain minimum number of days / weeks of work can be assured in the offer letter. This way, I feel both the organization and employees should find it reasonable and will not cause much problem financially. 

If organizations are forced to make pay irrespective of whether persons are working or not, it can lead to bankruptcy and can lead to closure and employees will become jobless.

Concern about impact of switching off lights on grid on 05.04.2020, 2100 hr for 9 minutes

To express solidarity and commitment to fight present pandemic conditions, Prime Minister asked everyone to switch off lights in their homes, and show candles, mobile flash, etc on 05.04.2020, 2100 hr for 9 minutes.

There are concerns about impact on power grid by the act of public as above.

A clarification with suggestions is released as per news item below assuring about preparedness.

https://m.timesofindia.com/india/pm-modis-blackout-appeal-no-need-to-switch-off-appliances-at-home-clarifies-centre/articleshow/74982311.cms

It is mentioned that lights in essential service buildings, street lights, power consuming appliances in houses like computers, air conditioning, refrigerators, etc can be ON and the appeal is only for lights in the houses. The appeal is also for maintaining social distance during this and other times.

An incident in my house - in geyser

Today, while our bathroom electrical geyser (G) (instant) (3 lit, 3 KW) was ON  After some time,  bubbling sound was heard from the overhead tank (T) containing cold water,  located at about 0.5 m height. The outlet from geyser was opened and initially there was no flow but within 15-20 seconds, steam started coming out from this bottom outlet as well as thro' vent. The steam along with few water droplets spew from the vent (V). After 1-2 minutes, I switched off power to the geyser sensing, it may explode. 

The piping is like this: Bottom outlet from cold water tank supplies water to the geyser and hot water can be collected in two bath rooms located side by side.A parallel connection from the outlet of the overhead tank is also connected to one tap in each of these bath rooms. A vent is let above tank height. The tank is rectangular, 300 lit.

The geyser got thermo stat to cut of power supply once water is heated up. This is functioning and was checked after the incident by trial run. And, it started heating the water normally as before the incident.

My experiences during lock down and curfew conditions for protection against COVID 19 corona spread / consequences

I read about this COVID 19, corona few weeks ago in whatsapp and news papers. Also saw the videos on isolation of families / citizens in China. I thought it strange and got a doubt about similar action in my place.

Then came the announcement from our state Chief Minister on 21.03.2020 in his televised address about Janata Curfew for 24 hr starting from 22.03.2020, 0600 hr. Chief Minister explained about possible repercussions from the pandemic conditions and requested the public to observe isolation in the houses during this period, not to come on roads, maintaining hygiene, etc 

Soon, it was followed with Prime Minister's appeal to the nation for 14 hr lock down from 22.03.2020, 0600 hr. PM requested all citizens to observe this and encourage health care workers by clapping / whistling from their houses at 1700 hr on 22.03.2020.

Essential services like shops for groceries, milk products, medical, media, etc per exempted.

This day was special for our family for a personal reasons. My wife invited few friends and relatives about a week before for a gathering. Upon learning lock down, she requested them not to come to our house. We brought some cake after the announcement and had midnight celebration arranged by our children.

So far so good. As per TV visuals, here and there, some persons were found on the roads and caught by police, giving advise. At about 1650 hr, I heard start of clapping, whistles, beating the metal plates, etc. Our floor families also came out and joined in this standing at their respective main doors.

Later, however, we saw in TV visuals, crowding of persons on the roads for clapping. Some followed social distancing during clapping. The whole purpose of maintaining social distancing was defeated in this act. These persons did not follow PM's advice of clapping from houses and instead came out. 

I went to work site on the following day. Then came the announcement of lock down for 21 days in continuation of this 14 hr / 24 hr period. I came back to house in the afternoon after we were advised to work from home and to maintain only skeletal staff for essential works.

3-4 days before, my younger son was given his computer to work from home by his company and I thought it is a different experience.  Now, I too joined this. Whereas my son's work is in IT, mine is in industrial safety. But, we picked up to manage. As per advice to maintain bare minimum staff, only 1-2 persons were put in roster for duties for monitoring in field and rest to interact with these 2 persons. 

In industrial establishments, as per history, a plant shutdown does not mean it is safe. One should be more vigilant to ensure safety of pressure systems like gas cylinders, storage bullets, piping, and chemical storages; observation of safety rules by persons when nobody is watching them, so on. It should be like factory still operating with a reduced manpower instead of full scale. Shutdown does not mean relaxation of safety rules / practices. It is also known that many accidents happened during startup and we should resume operations not based on what we thought it was, but only after thorough checking of all systems in the field.

Generally, I purchase provisions for a month in the first week of the month. After this 21 days lock down announcement, we checked stocks and replenished some items like cereals, cooking oil, detergents, and most importantly medicines as I got hypo hypothyroidism and severe joint pains, for a month.

A week went by and the situation in the factory was well managed by all departments. Work from home led to more working hours i.e. instead of 8 hr, we were in touch from morning to midnight. Generally, my mobile use is very less in normal conditions. It is only an instrument at home for some emergency. I used to charge this phone once in 2-3 days. But, now, because of usage, I am charging sometimes, once twice a day. 

Search for news on this virus has increased a lot. I am following covid19india.org and worldometer sites to understand the severity of the issue. 

Now, lock down is extended for another 3 weeks and hope everything will be alright. Our state government even imposed curfew during 1900-0600 hr as some persons are not heeding to the appeal of not coming out unless it is essential. Police check posts were put on the roads, patrolling is increased, and humanitarian help to those needy also is being done by these personnel as seen in social media.

One can help financially by contributing to India's  Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund) and / or Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) and tax exemption under 80 (g) is available for the contributions made. Please check for secure link of the sites before making contribution so that it will not go to fakes. One can even do it from his/her bank account and using link provided in the bank site after login to own account for secured payment. I did like that so that I don't worry about so many links appeared soon after the appeal by the Honourable Prime Minister of India.

Safety of workers in difficult times

https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/health-and-safety/workers-highlight-safety-fears-as-busy-sites-stay-open-23-03-2020/

Naming the safety violators had positive impact

As per a study, violations have come down when OSHA named safety violators.

Please see the news here.

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-03-09/osha-shaming-tactic-improved-workplace-safety-before-trump

Use of masks for protection

With the ongoing talk about spread of viruses, the discussions are taking place in all forms of social media, print, electronic, etc. It is advised by these media for use of masks. As per supply and demand, the rates of masks have skyrocketed. A simple rectangular filter paper like mask with elastic bands on either side and nose strip, which normally used to cost at about Rs 1.50-2.00 is sold at Rs 7 to 20. The cup type mask normally priced at about Rs 30-35 is being sold 2-6 times the price. This is nothing but exploitation. Being in the field of industrial safety, aware of costs of these protective gear, I felt that public are taken for a raid.

A field day for shops. Make hay while the sun shines.

I read in messages that these are to be used carefully, not to touch, and then dispose safely. How many will throw in dust bin after use, once or more times in a day after buying at prices like above. Further, safe disposal of these masks itself may present a headache to municipal authorities. May be now, these authorities have to set up bins in public places for collection of these masks and then incinerate at high temperature like biohazard waste.

At other times, many persons used to cover their nose / face with hand kerchief or some other cloth,   can also be used safely. I feel this is better than so called masks as above. Because, we can wash these cloth covers and are good for health.

In addition, it is better to follow other good hygiene practices, like washing of hands, face and feet soon after coming to house from outside, before and after eating, changing the outside dress before eating, etc as our elders did.

Whatever we use, let us also ensure to clean it regularly for our own health. We should not get panicked with messages / rumors and use our common sense to help ourselves.

Following regulations and guidelines will not reduce productivity

There is always a tussle between the production manager and that of safety / regulator. It may not appear openly, but in private discussions, this is the reality. Each will have choicest words or opinions about the other.

When role reversal happens, they will assume new position and behave accordingly. This is because of short term / immediate gains one may achieve by overlooking SOPs or due to the infrequent losses suffered from incidents/accidents by not following safety which they feel that it can be absorbed.

Production managers realize only when the losses are huge and may lead to framing of charges or closure of the factory. But, it will be late.

It is proven that following safety always makes sense and leads to increase in productivity.
And this can be made realized by charging penalties on every violation from the salary of the individuals and as a percentage of turnover  of the factory.

This will help in creating work atmosphere safe as well as for public also and at the same time will make others to learn from the sufferers.