ROURKELA: Four employees and a contractual worker of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) sustained burn injuries at Steel Melting Shop (SMS) 1 from splashing of hot slag on Saturday.
The injured regular employees including an executive and one contract worker were admitted to the specialised Burn Centre of the RSP-run Ispat General Hospital (IGH). The RSP management was quick to form an inquiry committee to ascertain the cause of the mishap and also fix responsibility.
RSP sources steel is made using converters at SMS 1. As per regular practice ,after tapping of steel from the converter, slag splashing is done for nourishing the converter lining. At around 8.45 am on the day, in Converter ‘Q’ of SMS-1, during slag splashing a jam stuck up in the movable hood of the converter suddenly fell leading to splashing of residual slag.
This resulted in the five workers sustaining burn injuries. All of them were immediately admitted to the Burn Centre of IGH after being administered first aid inside the plant. The condition of the injured workers is stated to be stable.
RSP director-in-charge Atanu Bhowmick expressing deep concern over the incident instructed best possible treatment for the injured workers. A committee headed by a chief general manager rank officer has been formed to enquire into the cause and fix responsibility.
President of BMS-affiliated Rourkela Ispat Karkhana Karmachari Sangh (RIKKS) HS Bal informed the converter was at a height and the injured worker were standing on the floor when the mishap occurred. He said water was negligently allowed to accumulate on the floor and when hot slag splashed on the water a blast occurred to enhance the impact area. He attributed the mishap to lack of adherence to prescribed safety guidelines.