Concrete

Safety audit should be considered as improvement in a positive way

Published

5 years ago

February 1, 2022

admin

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.

Up Next

Safety is at the centre of everything that we do

Don't Miss

Technology can definitely make cement plants safer

Concrete

Jammu Division Begins First Cement Rail Traffic to Anantnag

Cement Loading From Kathua for Anantnag to Begin on September 14

Published

2 days ago

September 21, 2026

admin

Jammu Railway Division has placed an indent for the first movement of cement by rail within the division, linking Shaheed Captain Sunil Kumar Choudhary Kathua Railway Station with Anantnag Railway Station. Loading for the consignment is scheduled to begin on September 14.

Concrete

Hard Worker Wins Three Honours at Kyoorius Design Awards

Ramco Cements’ brand secures Grand Prix and two Blue Elephant honours.

Published

2 days ago

September 21, 2026

admin

The Ramco Cements Limited’s construction chemicals brand, Hard Worker, has won three honours at the Kyoorius Design Awards 2026, including the Grand Prix – Grey Elephant in the Design in Action category.

The brand also secured two Blue Elephant honours, one for Design in Action and another for Packaging, recognising the design approach behind its brand identity and packaging.

Launched in 2025, Hard Worker entered the construction chemicals segment with the brand promise, “Hard-working products for hardworking people.” Its visual identity uses animals and birds to represent product benefits. The camel represents the water-retention capability of Hard Worker Eco Plaster, while the cheetah represents the speed and performance of Hard Worker Block Fix.

The visual language has been extended across packaging, retail, communication, literature, digital platforms and other brand touchpoints. Hard Worker uses bold colours, distinctive animal illustrations and simple visual storytelling to communicate product benefits across markets and audiences, including construction workers and applicators.

“For Hard Worker, design was never an afterthought. It was fundamental to how we wanted to build the brand. In a category that is largely functional, we wanted to create a brand that people could recognise, understand and remember instantly. The Kyoorius recognition is a wonderful validation of this design-led approach,” said Mr. AV Dharmakrishnan, CEO, The Ramco Cements Limited.

Mr. Balaji K. Moorthy, Executive Director – Marketing, Ramco Cements said “In a category where communication has traditionally been product-led and functional, we wanted Hard Worker to stand apart by making design an integral part of the brand experience. From the distinctive animal-led packaging to our communication across consumer and trade touchpoints, every element was designed to make the brand more memorable and the product benefits easier to understand.”

Within its first 12 months, Hard Worker crossed Rs 3.5 bn in sales. The latest recognition follows six honours secured by the brand’s campaign at the Kyoorius Creative Awards earlier in 2026, including the Grey Elephant Grand Prix for its Eco Plaster film.

The Kyoorius Design Awards recognise outstanding design work in India’s visual communications sector across multiple categories and platforms. The 2026 awards were announced on 12 September in Goa.

The Ramco Cements Limited is part of the Ramco Group and operates across cement and allied building-material solutions. Hard Worker is its construction chemicals brand, offering solutions across key construction applications.

Concrete

Cement Firms to Invest Rs. 130 bn in Green Energy by FY28

Cement companies plan to expand clean energy capacity to 6 GW by FY28

Published

6 days ago

September 17, 2026

admin

India’s major cement companies are set to raise their clean energy capacity to 6 GW by March 2028 from around 4 GW at the end of March 2026, according to ratings agency ICRA. The planned expansion is expected to involve investments of Rs. 130 bn over the next two years.

The additional capacity could generate annual savings of Rs. 62 bn to Rs. 67 bn, resulting in an estimated payback period of 1.8 to 2.2 years. Cement is an emission-intensive industry, and leading producers have established net-zero roadmaps covering the next 15 to 20 years.

The calcination process accounts for 57 to 60 per cent of the sector’s total emissions, while fuel combustion contributes 27 to 30 per cent and electricity consumption accounts for 10 to 13 per cent. ICRA said the figures highlighted the need for a broad decarbonisation strategy involving green power, blended cement, alternative fuels and improvements in clinker efficiency.

Green energy is considered one of the most commercially attractive decarbonisation options because it can reduce emissions while lowering operating costs. Every 5 per cent increase in green power replacement can reduce power and fuel costs by Rs. 15 to Rs. 16 per tonne. A 25 per cent replacement level could therefore save Rs. 75 to Rs. 80 per tonne and expand operating margins by 140 to 160 basis points.

Cement producers are also assessing carbon capture, utilisation and storage, although high implementation costs, energy requirements and limited transport and storage infrastructure are expected to slow commercial adoption. The government has proposed Rs. 200 bn over five years to support deployment across key sectors. Meanwhile, companies are targeting thermal substitution rates of 10 to 15 per cent over the next three to five years, compared with the current industry level of around 6 per cent.