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1.8.2 Significant Events related to Industrial and Fire Safety (I&FS) aspects as identified by NPCIL

Safety committees and effective safety supervision by NPCIL.
These incidents and NPCIL submissions
Significant events reported to AERB were reviewed were reviewed in detail by AERB wherein certain
in detail and measures to prevent the recurrence of recommendations were made. NPCIL identified
such incidences were recommended. The analyses measures required to strengthen OHS in nuclear
and recommendations of the accident were forwarded projects. The compliance for implementation was
to all units of DAE for information and lessons to be periodically verified by SOT at Site and was also
learnt from these incidents. A brief description of events, verified in subsequent RI of KKNPP-3&4. Considering
associated review and recommendations/directives of the actions initiated to enhance safety and sample check
AERB is given below.
during regulatory inspection, the construction activities
(a) Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project in the areas where accidents had occurred at KKNPP-3
(KKNPP-3 to 6) to 6 were allowed to be resumed on July 03, 2019.
On April 15, 2019, a fatal accident took place at (c) Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP-7&8)
the temporary dyke area of KKNPP-3 to 6. The victim Work of erection of “I” sections Girders for mounting
employed by contractor engaged in the repair work of of EOT crane track in mechanical workshop of RAPP-
an excavator along with the operator, fell down from a 7&8 was being carried out by Contractor. On August
height of around 2.5 m. He was immediately shifted to 13, 2019 for shifting of a girder from fabrication shop
the first-aid centre of the contractor and subsequently to work area, a group of 7 workers led by foremen were
to hospital at Nagercoil. The victim succumbed to his working. The girder was being shifted by rolling it on
injuries on April 16, 2019.
pipe pieces as a roller and pushing with the crowbar
(b) Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project from backside. During the process, the girder slipped
(KKNPP-3&4) from pipes & toppled on its right side. Seeing this, other
worker on right side moved away safely, while the victim
On April 28, 2019, an accident of serious nature slipped and his right leg received injury as he was caught
occurred at Fabrication Shop # 2 in the infrastructure in between the girder and floor. He succumbed to the
area of KKNPP-3&4. Left hand of the victim (an injuries on September 19, 2019 during the treatment at
operator with the contractor) got entangled in a drilling hospital.
machine while cleaning the drilling chips. The left hand
was severed nearly from the middle of the forearm. The Root cause of the accident was use of hazardous
victim was given first-aid in the ambulance and was methodology of material handling and contributory
immediately shifted to Hospital at Nagercoil. causes were inadequate supervisory oversight from
senior engineers of Contractor and unavailability of
AERB stopped all construction activities at KKNPP-3 job-specific Safe Work Permit and Job Hazard Analysis
to 6. AERB recommended NPCIL for conducting (JHA). NPCIL was asked to develop job-specific JHAs
general review of safety management systems at all after design detailing and engineering taking cognizance
NPCIL sites with specific attention to recent events and of field constraints, development of a better methodology
associated factors. In response, NPCIL submitted the for transportation of girder from the fabrication to
proposed corrective and safety enhancement measures erection location, strengthening training programme
to strengthen Occupational Health Safety (OHS) and competency evaluation method for workers, tool-
System at their Stations and Projects. Considering the box talk prior to job commencement, strengthening
actions for enhance safety by NPCIL, AERB granted competency of line management personnel in Health &
permission to resume the construction activities of Safety aspects etc. The responses from RAPP-7&8 Site
KKNPP-3 to 6 (except for areas where accidents had would be checked during RI for verification of stated
occurred) on May 1, 2019 subject to implementation of corrective & preventive actions.
corrective measures towards enhancement of Industrial

34 AERB Annual Report 2019