SOP for Safety Operations

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Safety Activities

The aim is to reduce to the absolute minimum, accidents and cases of ill health in the work places for which it is responsible. It regards good health & safety management and high standards of performance in health and safety as being of the utmost importance and integral to an efficient organization.

Fire & Safety

Fire prevention, Firefighting and ensuring Safety of personnel form an integral part of Port Activity. Towards this end Fire & Safety Department at Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) aims for Zero accident inside premises and strives to provide hazard free work atmosphere with respect to Health and Safety of personnel. To accomplish the same VPA sports the Honour of having qualified Fire & Safety Officers and Skilled Fire Fighters on the rolls and the Team is available in Port on 24 X 7 Basis. The Team supports Cargo Department and Engineering Services, on their routine and non routine activities and to complete their task without any Accident / Incident during the process. Apart from regular support to the various departments Fire & Safety Team also carries out Regular rounds inside the port premises to take note of violations and instances of non-compliances. Fire safety Team carries out Fire Audit regularly in order to account for firefighting equipment availability and serviceability at all stations. Our paramount commitment is that the Fire and Safety department strives to ensure that the work atmosphere is kept free from Fire Hazards at all times.

Safety Training

Practice makes perfect. Main core area of the Fire & Safety department is to create the awareness among the work force about Port Safety requirement, Job specific Safety requirements and Emergency preparedness .To do the Same Fire and Safety department regularly conducts the Training program to the workforce on regular basis

Safety Induction Training

This Training is given to all newly Joined workforce about Port safety requirements and Department specific Safety requirements .Apart from this each contractual employee is welcomed to the port premises after undergoing Safety process regularly. This ensures that contractor and their workforce are made aware about Port Safety requirements and Job specific Safety requirements before deploying them at the site.

Drills

VPA maintains and rehearses an exclusive Disaster Management plan with all preparedness procedures to meet any emergencies in the Port premises including Pandemic preventive work safety aspects. Each worker in the port premises is assigned with task to perform in case of emergency; the same will be ensured by Fire & Safety Team through the various drills and Training Programs.

Fire Fighting Equipment's

Fire and Safety department is equipped with various Fire Fighting facilities including Portable Fire Extinguishers, Multi-Purpose Fire Tender, and Hydrant network. We also have Fire Pumphouse which is designed as per OISD requirements to meet the Fire risks in the liquid cargo. Every building in the VPA premises is provided with smoke detectors which is centrally connected with Fire Station.

SAFETY WING

The aim is to reduce the absolute ‘0’ (ZERO) accidents and cases of ill health in the work places for which it is responsible. It regards good health and Safety Management & High standards of performance in Health &Safety as being of the utmost importance and integral to an efficient organization.

Visakhapatnam Port Authority has been consistently maintaining good track of Safety records at Port operations. The Safety Policy of VPA is very clear about strict compliance of safety Standards and Procedures


SAFETY AUDITS

VPA is following Integrated Management System (ISO 45001:2018, ISO14001:2015 and ISO 9001:2015)

  • Audits for the entire organization is being done once in year by the External agencies.
  • Electrical Safety Audit
  • Navigational Safety Audit.
  • Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) Audit for Fire Fighting system
  • Conducting of Safety Audits to all PPP/BOT Terminals through National Safety Council to enhance the Safety performance.
  • Internal Safety Audit of each department by selected trained manpower of other department.

TRAININGS

  • All personnel employed in Port operations have undergone relevant work – related safety training and refresher trainings.
  • Training of incoming, unregistered / private workers.
  • Training calendar prepared for all category employees and given training at HRD Centre.
  • Tool Box talks are conducting regularly to make aware of different safety aspects and hazards at the work location.

SAFETY PROMOTINAL ACTIVITIES

  • Conducting National Safety Day and Dock Safety Week once in every year.
  • Conducting Safety Street plays at various work locations in VPA & in PPP/BOT Terminals to aware on safety procedures.
  • Conducting various competitions to in all PPP/BOT Terminals including VPA to implement safety culture among all the employees.

Valedictory function on 53rd National Safety Day & Dock Safety Week.

Winner of the 21st Greentech Safety Awards2023 for outstanding Achievements in Safety Excellence.

Safety Street plays at various work locations in VPA & PPP/BOT Terminals to promote Safety among all the workers.

Safety Awareness for private Terminal workers and other workers to enhance the Safety culture.

Strict compliance of PPE & other safety measures while on operations.

Strict compliance of PPE & other safety measures while on operations.

Awareness given to private workers on usage of Life jackets at sea.

Strict compliance of PPE & other safety measures while on operations.

Brief note on Fire Service Section, VPA

Visakhapatnam Port Authority Fire Service have 5 Fire Stations viz

  • Central Station (CFS)
  • Off Shore Tanker Terminal (OSTT)
  • Oil Wharf (OR-I, OR-II & OR-III)
  • SS jetty (LPG berth)
  • Fire Float (FF) which are being manned by 24x7by the VPA Fire crew

The activities of Fire service section are furnished below

  • Hazardous cargo handling is permitted at designated berths only. These areas are manned by the Fire crew in 3 shifts.
  • Hazardous cargo storage is not permitted in the VPA premises. Liquid cargo allowed to receivers storage terminal directly through Pipe line transfer. Break bulk, hazardous cargo is being evacuated from the hook point.
  • During hazardous cargo discharge, the area is restricted, no hot work, no bunkering permission and no smoking precautions are being strictly observed.
  • Dos, Don’ts are displayed at the hazardous cargo handling areas.
  • Periodic Mock Drill are being conducted along with District Crisis Management group, NDRF and neighboring industries.
  • Fire Fighting Facilities are being maintained and tested periodically.
  • Fire Service is being audited every 3 months by Internal auditors and once in a year by IRQS auditors as part of ISO standard.
  • VPA is having Mutual Aid Scheme with AP Fire brigade & neighboring industries for tackling On-site & Off-site emergencies.
  • Fire crew are taking Fire preventive rounds in the entire port area in 3 shifts.
  • Fire Extinguishers have been placed at all vulnerable areas of port.
  • Periodical training is being conducted for employees of VPA for operation and usage of Fire Extinguishers.
  • All the activities of Fire service are being reviewed periodically through Departmental Review Meeting and Management Review Meeting.
  • Fire demos are being conducted periodically at the volunerable area in the port area.
  • Crisis management exercise are being conducted in the port area and briefing about the precaution during any fire / toxic gas release incidents
  • Implementing ISPS and IMS in the fire service section.

ire & Asst. Safety Officer