ROURKELA: A 52-year-old contractual worker was killed while reportedly cleaning the outer surface of an oxygen pipe in Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) of SAIL on Monday.
The deceased was identified as Abhiram Mahato of Jareikela, around 40 km from Rourkela. He was engaged by Lucky Construction, a contract firm of RSP.
RSP sources said Mahato was engaged in lance jam cutting in the designated area near converter B in basic oxygen furnace shop of the steel melting shop-2. While manually clearing the jam, the crowbar rebounded and pierced through his neck. He was immediately taken to the occupational health service centre and later shifted to the RSP-run Ispat General Hospital (IGH) where he was declared dead.
Director in-charge of RSP Alok Verma expressed anguish over Mahato’s death and said the management would provide all possible support to the bereaved family.
Vice-president of INTUC-affiliated Rourkela Shramik Sangh (RSS) Nihar Das said following the mishap, relatives of the victim worker supported by members of various trade unions staged protest at IGH demanding adequate compensation. The body has been preserved at the morgue of IGH and as per guidelines, eligible member of the bereaved family is entitled for compassionate employment, Das added.