Concrete

Safety audit should be considered as improvement in a positive way

Published

3 years ago

February 1, 2022

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Kanishk Khanna, CEO, Elion Technologies and Consulting Private Limited, delves into the important process of safety audits at cement plants and its impact on the safety measures that are implemented by companies to remain in compliance with governmental guidelines.

What is the importance of safety audits for cement plants?

Everyone wants to work with safety, and every cement company is taking a proactive approach to have zero incidents but the responsibilities of safety lie with the internal department and safety team. Most of the time some small and big hazards are overlooked by the staff as they are usually working in the same conditions over a period of time and have seen no fatalities. During the safety audit, a fresh approach is adopted to identify the hazard, which due to the day-to-day operations are not considered.

What are the key parameters on which a cement plant is audited?

A cement plant is audited on the parameters like safety culture, behaviour safety, adoption and implementation of use of personal protective equipment (PPE), work permit system and its implementation from top to down levels and contractor safety.

How often should a cement manufacturing unit be audited?

All cement plants should be audited two times – one while the plant is under planned shutdown and once during normal operation.

What are the key safety concerns in a cement plant?

They key areas of safety concern in a cement plant are:

Fall and Trip
Working at Height
Hot Works
Slip and Trip
Vibration and Noise
Dust
Vehicle Accident

How do you ensure safety standards are maintained in a cement plant?

Safety in any cement plant can be ensured and maintained with regular safety audits and by providing safety orientation and training to all employees and workmen in the plant.

Tell us more about the preparation and presentation of audit reports.

The safety audit report is self speaking with pictorial evidence of identified hazards and risks that exist. The report also includes practical possible measures to be taken to mitigate the hazard.

What are the major challenges you face during safety audits?

Safety audit should be considered as improvement in a positive way but mostly at down the level it is considered more as statutory implementation. This mindset is the major challenge faced during safety audits.

During the audit the people try to hide the correct information and do not allow or take us to the areas where significant hazard may exist.

How can technology help improve safety standards in a cement manufacturing unit?

Availability of internet of things (IOT) devices and technology surveillance helps to manage regular safety in the plant. People not wearing the required PPE can immediately be identified through various recognition systems. New advanced technology devices can help people to work safely and securely.

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Concrete

Jefferies’ Optimism Fuels Cement Stock Rally

The industry is aiming price hikes of Rs 10-15 per bag in December.

Published

3 weeks ago

December 4, 2024

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Cement stocks surged over 5% on Monday, driven by Jefferies’ positive outlook on demand recovery, supported by increased government capital expenditure and favourable price trends.

JK Cement led the rally with a 5.3% jump, while UltraTech Cement rose 3.82%, making it the top performer on the Nifty 50. Dalmia Bharat and Grasim Industries gained over 3% each, with Shree Cement and Ambuja Cement adding 2.77% and 1.32%, respectively.

“Cement stocks have been consolidating without significant upward movement for over a year,” noted Vikas Jain, head of research at Reliance Securities. “The Jefferies report with positive price feedback prompted a revaluation of these stocks today.”

According to Jefferies, cement prices were stable in November, with earlier declines bottoming out. The industry is now targeting price hikes of Rs 10-15 per bag in December.

The brokerage highlighted moderate demand growth in October and November, with recovery expected to strengthen in the fourth quarter, supported by a revival in government infrastructure spending.
Analysts are optimistic about a stronger recovery in the latter half of FY25, driven by anticipated increases in government investments in infrastructure projects.
(ET)

Concrete

Steel Ministry Proposes 25% Safeguard Duty on Steel Imports

The duty aims to counter the impact of rising low-cost steel imports.

Published

3 weeks ago

December 4, 2024

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The Ministry of Steel has proposed a 25% safeguard duty on certain steel imports to address concerns raised by domestic producers. The proposal emerged during a meeting between Union Steel Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi, attended by senior officials and executives from leading steel companies like SAIL, Tata Steel, JSW Steel, and AMNS India.

Following the meeting, Goyal highlighted on X the importance of steel and metallurgical coke industries in India’s development, emphasising discussions on boosting production, improving quality, and enhancing global competitiveness. Kumaraswamy echoed the sentiment, pledging collaboration between ministries to create a business-friendly environment for domestic steelmakers.

The safeguard duty proposal aims to counter the impact of rising low-cost steel imports, particularly from free trade agreement (FTA) nations. Steel Secretary Sandeep Poundrik noted that 62% of steel imports currently enter at zero duty under FTAs, with imports rising to 5.51 million tonnes (MT) during April-September 2024-25, compared to 3.66 MT in the same period last year. Imports from China surged significantly, reaching 1.85 MT, up from 1.02 MT a year ago.

Industry experts, including think tank GTRI, have raised concerns about FTAs, highlighting cases where foreign producers partner with Indian firms to re-import steel at concessional rates. GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava also pointed to challenges like port delays and regulatory hurdles, which strain over 10,000 steel user units in India.

The government’s proposal reflects its commitment to supporting the domestic steel industry while addressing trade imbalances and promoting a self-reliant manufacturing sector.

(ET)

Concrete

India Imposes Anti-Dumping Duty on Solar Panel Aluminium Frames

Move boosts domestic aluminium industry, curbs low-cost imports

Published

3 weeks ago

December 4, 2024

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The Indian government has introduced anti-dumping duties on anodized aluminium frames for solar panels and modules imported from China, a move hailed by the Aluminium Association of India (AAI) as a significant step toward fostering a self-reliant aluminium sector.

The duties, effective for five years, aim to counter the influx of low-cost imports that have hindered domestic manufacturing. According to the Ministry of Finance, Chinese dumping has limited India’s ability to develop local production capabilities.

Ahead of Budget 2025, the aluminium industry has urged the government to introduce stronger trade protections. Key demands include raising import duties on primary and downstream aluminium products from 7.5% to 10% and imposing a uniform 7.5% duty on aluminium scrap to curb the influx of low-quality imports.

India’s heavy reliance on aluminium imports, which now account for 54% of the country’s demand, has resulted in an annual foreign exchange outflow of Rupees 562.91 billion. Scrap imports, doubling over the last decade, have surged to 1,825 KT in FY25, primarily sourced from China, the Middle East, the US, and the UK.

The AAI noted that while advanced economies like the US and China impose strict tariffs and restrictions to protect their aluminium industries, India has become the largest importer of aluminium scrap globally. This trend undermines local producers, who are urging robust measures to enhance the domestic aluminium ecosystem.

With India’s aluminium demand projected to reach 10 million tonnes by 2030, industry leaders emphasize the need for stronger policies to support local production and drive investments in capacity expansion. The anti-dumping duties on solar panel components, they say, are a vital first step in building a sustainable and competitive aluminium sector.