CEA mandates Internal Safety Audits at Power Plants yearly to avoid fire accidents

New Delhi: Central Electricity Authority of India makes the safet audits in power plants mandatory to avoid any mishappenings like fire outbreak. In an important release CEA mentioned that it has been directed that Secretaries Ministry of Power and Coal Government of India, in coordination with such other Departments/ Institutions, as may be necessary, that to undertake Safety Audits of similarly placed thermal power stations throughout the country expeditiously preferably within six months to avoid recurrence of such incidents in future.

The Internal Safety Audits must be carried out once a year through cross-functional teams/ internal trained staff and records must be maintained, said CEA. Further, External Safety Audit must be carried out through registered Agencies at a regular periodicity of 2 years and Action Taken Report (ATR) must be prepared & monitored to ensure early closing of pending recommendations.

In comprising representatives from the Ministry of Coal, Central Boiler Board (CBB), Director General Fire Safety (DGFS), NTPC Ltd, NLC India Limited (NLCIL), Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL), and other experts.

The above Committee carried out the safety audit of different coal/lignite-based Thermal Power plants across the country during the period of August to November 2021.

Separate Budget Head

Ensure a separate budget head in its overall budget provisions to adequately fund safety-related activities. A detailed safety manual complying with the statutory requirements and manufacturers' recommendations must be available with the power plant.

Accordingly, the safety awareness drives must be conducted amongst plant personnel as well as the employees deployed by the Contractors, periodically for the compliance of provisions of safety manuals and to imbibe the safety culture.

It is also advised to appoint a safety officer and safety committee by thermal power plant as per the statutory requirement.

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