Safety Issues and 5S Analysis in NTPC

I did my internship in Badarpur Thermal Power Station (BTPS) - NTPC, Delhi for 8 weeks from 14th May 2012 to 7th July 2012. I was given a project on safety. Since safety is becoming a big issue in the plant which is more than 40 years old, the company gave me a project in which my objective was -

1. To analyse worker's compliance on safety in BTPS.

2. To find unsafe conditions in the plant.

3. To know worker's knowledge about 5S.

The company believes that any worker will not reply correctly if they are asked direct questions on safety due to fear of fine or losing job. So, I adopted a different methodology methodoly in which questions were asked to the employees in an indirect survey like asking them questions while having lunch with them, while working, or while talking to them in their leisure time . The employees from the level were included but main emphasis was on lower level employees. The first survey was on employee's wearing of helmet. For this, I analyzed previous 2 years' safety report and on that helmet. On that basis, I included 15 employees from Unit 1 - 5, 32 from bolier 1 - 5, 15 from Coal Handling Plant, 13 from Water Treatment Plant and the remaining 25 from Offsite areas. In the survey, it was found that 52 employees were wearing helmets while 48 were not. The defaulter employees gave the reasons like not having helmet, not given by contractor, or no need of it as they are experienced. Many employees agree to wear helmets if they are given one.

Another survey was on number of opened slabs in BTPS. I t was found that as many as 14 slabs were opened in the plant. Since it was dangerous, the issue was sent to the safety department immediately who replied that contract for new slabs will be given in the end of the month.

The last survey was on employee's knowledge about 5S. In this, I shortlisted 4 boards of 5S in BTPS - near the main gate, near UCB - 1, near Coal Handling Plant, and in Employee Development Center. 100 employees were taken and it was seen that 35% of them have no knowledge of the board. This was due to the fact that some of them are illiterates, while some never cared to think about it. There were few employees who said that they never felt like seeing the board. So, employees' awareness was low. Out of 65 who said they know about the board, only 40 agreed that they follow it in their daily routine.

Recommendations- The number of surprise checks should be increased. The safety checks should be done on both BTPS employees and contract labourers. Employees should be educated about safety in a power plant. Some monetary benefits and award should be given to those who always follow safety rules. There should be different safety teams so that a different analysis is done on every safety check. The number of 5S boards should be increased. Also, 5S boards should be in pictorial formats so that illiterate employees can also read it. There should be a six sigma analysis also. The frequency of safety mela should be increased from 2 per year to at least 6 per year.

 

[Dhruv Bindhani]

This report provides a clear and methodical account of an 8-week internship at Badarpur Thermal Power Station (BTPS) - NTPC, Delhi, with a specific focus on safety. The intern effectively outlines the project's objectives, the methodology used, key findings, and actionable recommendations.

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Writing Style and Technique​

The writing style is direct, factual, and methodical, reflecting the analytical nature of the project. It prioritizes clarity and the presentation of information, making it easy for the reader to follow the intern's process and findings.

• Objective-Driven Structure: The report clearly states the project's three main objectives at the outset, providing a strong framework for the subsequent sections. This organizational approach is highly effective for a technical or research-oriented report.
• Methodology Explanation: The intern explains the rationale behind adopting an indirect survey method ("due to fear of fine or losing job"), demonstrating an understanding of the plant's context and a thoughtful approach to data collection. This adds credibility to the findings.
• Data-Driven Presentation: The findings are presented with specific numbers and percentages (e.g., "52 employees were wearing helmets while 48 were not," "14 slabs were opened," "35% of them have no knowledge of the board"). This quantitative data makes the observations concrete and impactful.
• Problem-Solution Orientation: For each finding, the report identifies the problem (e.g., "defaulter employees gave the reasons," "14 slabs were opened... dangerous," "employees' awareness was low") and then follows up with corresponding recommendations.
• Clear and Concise Language: The language is straightforward and avoids jargon where possible, focusing on conveying information efficiently.
• Actionable Recommendations: The recommendations are practical and specific, offering concrete steps the company can take to address the identified issues (e.g., "increase surprise checks," "monetary benefits and award," "5S boards should be in pictorial formats").
• Emphasis on Different Employee Levels: The report notes the focus on "lower level employees," indicating an understanding of where the safety issues might be most prevalent or where direct questioning might be less effective.

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Overall Impression​

This report effectively functions as a professional summary of a significant internship project. It highlights the intern's ability to identify problems, conduct a practical investigation, analyze findings, and propose relevant solutions within a real-world industrial setting. The focus on safety in an aging plant provides a compelling context, and the intern's methodological approach to overcoming the challenge of direct questioning is particularly commendable. The report clearly demonstrates the intern's contribution to addressing a critical issue for BTPS.