Major fire accident in Chennai Silks show room in T.Nagar
Today morning started with shocking news for chennaites. The fire broken out in Chennai Silks Show room building in T.Nagar raised the eyebrows of chennaites about safety concerns. The traffic in and around T.Nagar and Panagal Park was completely come to halt because of this incident.
The fire flames appeared from the building in the early morning around 4.30 AM in all the seven floors that were identified by the security guard. The fire personnel rushed to the spot and responded immediately preventing loss of life on the spot. Around 70 fire fighters were battled to settle the blaze. Twelve persons who were present in the seventh floor safely rescued by the firefighters. The shop owners in the nearby are asked to shut down until further orders in order to protect the public from thick smoke and health risks. The area is sealed off completely now.
#ChennaiSilks building on fire. 15 firetenders, 3 skylifts, multiple private water tankers deployed to fight the fire which began at 4.30am pic.twitter.com/2C65XjgoLL
— TheNewsMinute (@thenewsminute) May 31, 2017
Source: @thenewsminute
While saluting the fire safety personnel for on time reach and saving the lives of many, the reasons for the sudden fire must be identified immediately. The sources say that the electric circuit failure caused the incident; still it is not confirmed yet. The incident would have resulted in devastating consequences, if this happened in the active hours, considering the volume of people who could have been there.
These types of incidents in the city reveal that fire safety is the crucial element in buildings in the crowed areas for the sake of people. The safety measures in the major buildings of Chennai should be reviewed at the earliest. Safety auditing and fire preventive measures are the prime concerns of the city in line with the developmental projects.
Gas leaks in India & Value of preventive safety measures
“If you want the present to be different from the past, study the past.”
Need for learning
Learning is the process that improves the potential of a person or company that is achieved in different modes. Out of all these modes, the two efficient ways of learning are performed by proper training and by past experiences. It could be applicable to any individual person to giant organisations.Industries which retreat from this habit should encounter the unavoidable failures even though sincere efforts are implemented for growth. The recent research reports of safety failures especially gas leaks from various industries across India indicates the negligence of this fact.
The recent gas leaks in India
- 475 school students along with 9 teachers were hospitalized due to leakage of poisonous gas Chloro (methyl) diphensylsilance from a container depot in Tughlaqabad in Delhi.
- 25 people were affected by leakage of Chlorine gas from a water treatment plant in Hassan District in Karnataka State.
- 8 people suffered serious injuries by the explosion of Ammonia gas chamber in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh State.
- 10 people admitted in hospital due to Ammonia gas leaks from a barge in Champakkara, near Kochi.
- 6 people suffered from asphyxiation due to gas leakage from a blast furnace of the plant in Rourkela in Odisha State.
What experts to say
The prominent Experts in India stresses the factor that the industries are not learnt any lesson from the well-known Bhopal gas tragedy which happened in Union Carbide India Ltd (UCIL) in 1984 due to the leakage of methyl Isocyanates (MIC).The analysis of this incident reveals that the reasons for this tragedy were poor maintenance of the plant, lack of effective safety systems in the plant and negligence in safety management.
The experts also say that the workers are not trained effectively to use the safety devices at the time of emergency and to overcome this issue, they suggest, managements has to take steps to conduct safety training programmes periodically.Eventhough 32 years moved on form Bhopal incident, we encounter the issue of gas leaks all over India at everytime.This is the outcome of not giving the importance to study the past incidents and not implementing the appropriate preventive measures on time.
Lessons to be learnt
“Prevention is better than cure”
- Industries must implement safety management systems as per standards.
- Workers must be educated about the safety measures and to use the safety devices effectively.
- Safety awareness programs and prevention methods in specific to the industry’s manufacturing should be conducted including the authorities concerned and to the public around the industry.
- Refresher safety training should be given to safety professionals repeatedly as researches argue that after 12 months only 50% of knowledge remains in the memory of the candidates after training.
Role of Safety Institutes
Safety oriented organizations learn from accidents by analyzing the data collected immediately after the incidents and revise the policies and procedures to be implemented in the future. The Training institutes has the challenge to produce safety professionals who knows the systematic approach to analyze the incidents thoroughly and capability to provide recommendations to reconsider the policies based on safety concerns. Ultimately, Aristotle says that
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”
NIST is the leading safety institute in India has the commitment to produce safety professionals with analytical skills in line with our mission of contributing to the safety to the world and providing safety training to the workers and executives to attain the accident- free world.
It’s time for Quality Training
In the modern world, technology is enhancing in all corners in a day to day basis. To say, the development goes to the extent of sending satellites to the mars, finding new subatomic particle, BOSON, in quantum physics, discovering new planets, i.e., 7 planets around a star in 40 light years away from us and the list goes on. In our very life, the new inventions ease our living in many ways like building Artificial human organs, achieving 3D printing, finding Nanobots used to remove Toxins, Gorilla glasses for hi-teach gadgets, Power mat for charging gadgets without electricity. Particularly, many devices are invented for safety purposes both for typical usage like Safelets & Revolar, i.e., to wear on hand, for women safety and for industrial usage ranging from Modern Gas Detector, Face Protectors and Gloves.
Inspite of the fact, the technology is growing in supersonic pace in all the sectors to make human life better and better, the safety and value of human life is still being the unanswered question. The recent incidents and surveys indicate that our mankind, especially workers in the various industries is at high risk at all time. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme implementation in India says that the fire accidents cost around 20,000 victim’s life in every year. To add up, over 40% of fire accidents happen due to failure of electric circuits that causes threat to safety of people and to the property including expensive equipments.
All the time, Fire safety audit is the effective tool to assess the fire safety status in industries, laboratories, IT parks, offices, hotels, malls, hospitals, educational institutions and helps to identify the domains for improvement in fire prevention, protection and emergency preparedness. Eventhough it is mandatory for conducting fire safety audit, the failures in the safety concerns and costing human lives raise many questions in everyone’s mind.
Why fire accidents are being frequent in industries?
Are the safety professionals not competent or irresponsible or not trained properly?
Would the safety course providers really committed to produce quality professionals?
In order to answer these questions, the thorough analysis is needed to identify the root cause for these incidents. The astonishing fact is, there is lack of properly trained and qualified safety professionals contributed to the society to handle the safety equipments effectively as well as to apply the safety methods and preventive measures precisely. So that, the failures in safety audit and improper guidance of prevention measures leads to accidents in the industry. To add up more, few safety course providers not committed to produce qualified safety professionals. Free safety courses are offered to the candidates along with other major courses that suppresses the significance and necessity of safety concerns. Some safety institutes are providing poor training to the candidates for lower prices.
On account of all these facts, the necessity to identify the genuine, aristocratic safety course providers in the market emerges. The professionals, who have certified from the prestigious training institutes, are successfully carrying out their safety profession contributing to the safety of the workers and companies at their best. The recognition of deserving safety course providers by the society, will pave the way to generate qualified safety professionals and save the valuable life of workers and property of the industry too by facilitating safety measures in efficient form.
Have NIST training; be brave to go anywhere; it saves all.
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day – 17 May 2017
“Only through communication can human life holds meaning”
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD-17) is celebrated by ITU on May 17 every year. ITU, International Telecommunication Union, is the United Nation’s specialized agency for Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This is the day which spots the inauguration of ITU in 1895 with the mission of achieving best practical solutions for integrating new technologies when they are developed, and for spreading their benefits to all the spheres. The purpose of celebrating WTISD-17 is also to raise the awareness of the use of internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) to help societies and economy of a nation and also to balance the digital divide among mankind.
2017 Theme: Big Data for Big Impact
The theme, “Big Data for Big Impact” is chosen for the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD-17), that focuses to explore the power of big data for development and to identify the opportunities by converting the available massive complex data into practicable information.
This theme matches with the ITU’s objectives focusing on the technological developments that are smoothing the emergence of Big Data, developing standards related to Big Data and identifying sources and uses of Big Data. It also includes the use of Big Data technologies for developing and monitoring improvements in information societies. To accomplish these objectives of ITU, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) provide the innovative ways, as part of it’s work, to manage major cities in the form of constructing smart buildings, intelligent traffic systems, energy conservation, e-waste management and exchanging information and knowledge among the converging information societies.
Safety Concerns
All in good time, the technological developments come along with the challenges like the safety of workers, security of data, managing and accounting of large data, and etc. Specifically, in Telecommunication Engineering, employees working on the cell phone tower encounter the risks such as RF burn, i.e., causes irritation in skin due to RF radiation that is one form of Electromagnetic Energy emitted by transmitting Antennas, and risk at working at top approximately 500 or 600 feet tall, falling objects or tools from the top onto the body, electrical hazards, and working at inclement weather. To overcome these shortcomings, Safety precaution measures have to be insisted to the workers and corresponding researches must be encouraged to reduce the effects by the concerned authorities at this point of time.
Last but not the least, Occupational Stress is the major health issue experienced by the employees of information systems that may lead to, sometimes, metabolic syndrome to the workers. The pre-emptive methods are to be implemented to rectify this issue by giving attention on efficient time management, task management, regular workouts and by proper food choices.
Chennai underground METRO set-in-motion from May 14, 2017
Starting from early history, Inventions are made to soothe the task and reduce the time consumption. This journey starts from inventing wheel to today’s modern developments in all wings.
Transport system is the vital part of humans after the basics needs. In fact, the growth in the economy of a nation is directly associated to the transportation facilities provided to the people as it enhances the commerce and trades.
METRO is the rail transport system provides high speed travel for the commuters in the cites. India’s first and Asia’s 5th METRO is introduced in Kolkata in October 1984. Chennai is the fourth city to introduce METRO to its citizens after Kolkata, Delhi and Bengaluru.
Delhi METRO is flying high in success rate with the record of highest ridership of 25 lakhs passengers travelled in a single day and continuously providing financial profit in every year.
Especially, commuters in cities like Chennai exhaust much time in traveling from home to workplace and vice versa. Although the already launched METRO from Koyembedu to Alandur settles the need of one zone of the people in the city, still it is not fulfilling the demands yet.
On account of this factor, the Chennai METRO Rail Limited (CMRL) is going to instigate the underground METRO from May 14, 2017 onwards for public utility. This METRO covers eight kilometers of line from Chetpet to Koyembedu passing through tunnels with seven underground stations.
This project is going to be the great succour for the commuters of Chennai who are punctured with the crowds in buses and electric train. It saves the considerable time of commuters and this may be used by them productively.
Chennai is the fourth city in India to set- in- motion underground METRO to its people with good amenities like Air Conditioning, Tunnel Ventilation Systems, Route Maps and “Platform Screen Doors” (PSD).These doors are installed for the safety purposes of the passengers. Its features are:
- PSDs are fixed as a measure of crowd control system as passengers will be standing in a queue near the PSDs while the train arrives; otherwise they stand scattered all around the platform and rush into the coach. It is a good safety precaution measure for the elders and children especially.
- PSDs Improve safety by restricting the access to the tracks and tunnels by passengers. It avoids them coming closer to the tracks unconsciously while talking in the mobile phone, and to protect the unnoticed children moving towards the track.
- Prevent or reduce wind felt by the passengers caused by the piston effect. This is the process happening inside the tunnel when the train moves through a certain space. The train pushes out the air in front of it towards the closet ventilation shaft. At the same moment, the air is sucked into the tunnel from the closet ventilation shaft behind the train.
“An intelligent carries out every activity with safety conscious”.
“Safety measures protect not only our life but our family; our dependents”
It is wiser to follow the safety tips and have a peaceful & safe journey in METRO. Follow these tips:
Safety Tips
- Come early and be on-board safely and calmly.
- Stand behind yellow line whenever waiting for the train.
- Stand on queue to avoid rushing into door.
- Never attempt to open or close the door by hand.
- Always stay alert. METRO is quieter in sound. We may not hear it coming.
- At night times, especially women, board on the carriage nearer to driver. Do not travel in the carriages with nobody.
- Do not allow children for playing and skating in the platform
- Elders to be careful when using the elevators, ramps to avoid the skidding.
- Do not run in the station especially in wet weather. Surfaces may be slippery.
- Always follow instructions from workers and authorities.
World Earth Day
UNESCO has chosen the most required theme for the 22nd April 2017 World Earth Day as “Climate Literacy and Environment”. Earth is one of the precious natures’ gift for living beings to survive and decorate the life.
- Are we protecting the earth?
- Are we conserving water?
- Do we plant enough trees?
- Don’t we pollute the environment?
- Do we endure the weather?
If the answer is yes, we are worth living in the planet, if not we have to seriously contemplate and action on this. Environmental practitioners, HSE specialists and other relevant authorities from national and international bodies involved in raising awareness to protect the environment. Dr Abdul Kalam strongly emphasized for planting trees to have sufficient water for future generation.
Drastic drought, hurricanes, cyclones, Tsunamis, earthquakes and change in monsoon are due to the pollution happened across land, water and air. Heat stroke, heat wave and heat stress are unusual due to ecological modification. This give raise to various diseases and affect the healthy survival of human beings to living things in land, water and air.
It is acceptable that many multi-national companies, governmental and non-governmental organisations come forward in various eco-friendly activities. ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan – Clean India Movement is an excellent initiation from the government in 2014. However the implementation is the major challenge as it is the responsibility of every individual to protect the mother earth for healthy and safe living.
People or organisation involved in deforestation, pesticides, hazardous chemical spillage in land and water have spoilt the environmental cycle results in major life threat and existence of the planet. Audit, inspection and review from relevant authorities with strong enforcement of penalties, punishment will protect the country and planet from further impairment.
This is the right time to take an oath to protect the ‘Mother Earth’ where we can implement as individual, schools, colleges, organisations and public to support the UNESCO initiatives for such wonderful cause.
World Heritage Day
India is celebrated for historical places and heritage building. We have also the privilege to hold one of the world wonders “Taj Mahal” under our country’s banner. There are many such monuments, religious buildings, museums, forts, palace and so forth are available in each and every state across our nation. This would attract tourists from various part of the globe which would increase the economy of our country.
In most of the countries ancient building are protected, maintained and polished as it is considered as tribute to the ancestors who built those structures before the advancement of technologies. The saddening part of our culture is we not only failed to protect the heritage structures but also mishandled the legacies our dynasties left behind.
It is also encouraging to learn that 18th April is declared as ‘World Heritage day’ by International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) which was approved by UNESCO in 1983. The purpose of this day is to create awareness among the people to know their collective responsibility to protect the nation’s inheritance.
The effort taken care by archeological department and various states across the country to safeguard the identifications of the ancient buildings are commendable. Their main aim is to refurbish the ancient model buildings which are either vulnerable or iconic. Still we have lot more to do with the memorials as quoted very often in various newspapers, NGO’s and social advocates.
In the era of high end machineries, latest technologies, revolutionary accessibility and numerous sponsorships across the globe, the renovation and maintenance of building is still challenging. Councils, professional forums, NGO’s, CSR funds are increased due to the awareness campaign from ICOMOS and other organisations. We are grateful to those initiatives which helps next generation to understand, witness and cherish the history and the efforts taken.
Engineering specializations like architectural, interior designing and HSE courses are available for the persons who wish to take part in construction, restoring and protecting the historical buildings. Besides engineering, Safety courses plays a major role to protect the people working to protect the monuments and heritage. Learn more www.nistinstitute.com
