Places emphasis on standard safety practice
DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 6 (MExN): Rocked by fatal and frequent work-related accidents of line workers, the Department of Power, Nagaland (DoPN) has initiated an “Electrical Safety Week.” According to a press release from the Department, the programe will run from February 6 to 11, under the theme— Safety by choice not by chance, at the Lineman Training Centre, Electrical colony, Dimapur.
The release informed that the Engineer-in-Chief, Moa Aier, who addressed the inaugural session, placed emphasis on workers’ safety and proper training for preventing injury and death. In this regard, Er Aier said that the DoPN has a plan to sett up a professional training institute where all categories of department employees, including, Meter Readers, Accounts staff, Field staff, Billing Assistants etc will be trained. He added that the Department will incorporate trainings for the regular staff on promotion, in addition to the training of fixed labour and workcharge employees before awarding of scale pay and work regularization, respectively. The institute would later be upgraded to Nagaland Power Training Institute.
Reiterating the emphasis on safety, he said “confirming twice” about shutdown and recharge of lines should become standard practice of the line workers when on the job.
According to Aier, the DoPN, with meager fund, is trying its best to procure few basic safety gears for the field staff. The safety equipment will be issued only after a staff is trained. He maintained.
The release added that Er.Penrithung Yanthan, Chief Engineer (Transmission &Generation) also emphasizes the importance of observing the “safety” programme. He said that most of the accidents occur due to ‘Ignorance, Carelessness and Mindlessness.’ He advised all the officers and staff to read, learn and adopt the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) which is already approved and has been circulated to all Divisions. He emphasizes on practicing Personal Protective Grounding (PPG) before starting work on an electrical line. He requested all to be responsible, learn the SOP and spread awareness.
