BALCO marks 3 years of safety excellence with Suraksha Sankalp monthly initiative

Balconagar, 2^nd December 2024 – Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminium producer and a part of Vedanta Aluminium, marked a major milestone with the successful three-year journey of its monthly safety initiative, ‘Suraksha Sankalp.’ This program, which involves the active participation of both employees and business partners, has played a crucial role in strengthening safety protocols and promoting a culture of safety throughout the company’s operations. Its impactful implementation has resulted in significant improvements in the safety standards within the plant.

Launched in December 2021, BALCO’s Suraksha Sankalp program has focused on fostering a safety culture built on coaching, counselling, monitoring, and real-time feedback. The monthly training sessions, conducted on the first day of each month, have been crucial in instilling a safety-first mindset among employees, driving positive change across the workplace. The 36th session, held as part of the program’s third year, saw the participation of over 1,500 employees and business partners, celebrating three years of dedicated efforts towards improving safety standards through this initiative.

The Suraksha Sankalp program addresses a wide variety of topics aimed at enhancing safety across all aspects of operations. Beyond educating employees on essential safety protocols, the program also acknowledges and rewards those who demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting safety awareness within their teams, inspiring others to make safety a top priority in the workplace.

As part of the event, a monthly Hindi newsletter titled Apni Batein is distributed to increase readership and keep everyone informed about the key events and updates from the previous month.

Commenting on the Suraksha Sankalp initiative, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, CEO and Director of BALCO, stated, “At BALCO, we are driven by our vision of zero harm, where safety is an integral part of every operation. Suraksha Sankalp has been instrumental in shaping a safety culture that prioritizes the well-being of our employees and ensures a secure working environment. Our commitment goes beyond just protocols – we are embracing technologies to continuously enhance our safety standards. The continuity of such initiatives, coupled with consistent reinforcement, helps instil a strong safety mindset and leads to real, lasting behavioural change. This ongoing focus on safety ensures that it becomes a natural part of our work culture.”

BALCO is also dedicated to raising safety awareness among local communities and families through a variety of training initiatives. These include defensive driving courses, fire safety workshops, road safety programs, and the installation of retro-reflective safety signboards.

To build a robust safety culture, the company incorporates several cutting-edge technologies, such as:

• T-Pulse Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE) Monitoring System for ensuring the fulfilment of crucial safety protocols, through a network of cameras using the most comprehensive AI models, tracking ongoing activity inside the plant in real time.
• Augmented and Virtual Reality Training Centre, Video Analytics, Sustainability Mobile App, E-learning courses, and Digitalization of Workforce Connectivity to enhance leading indicators in safety practices.
• Centralized Security Operations Centre (CSOC) leverages digital intelligence and data insights for better decision-making in security, traffic & road safety, and supply chain security functions.
• Real-time data and trend monitoring, facilitating end-to-end digital dashboards through projects like the Hot Spot Detection System at the coal yard, using thermal inspection ensures strict safety.
• LED Logo projectors designed to illuminate safety signs on floors, ensuring clear and prominent display of safety messages in low-light conditions, especially in areas with dust accumulation and high vehicular traffic.
• Integration of cutting-edge AI technology – Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) – in internal vehicular operations to elevate road safety amid the driving conditions within the plant.