SEEKING to further L&T’s Environment Health & Safety (EHS) philosophy across the company, CEO & MD Mr S N Subrahmanyan last year set up an EHS Council, chaired by Mr Subramanian Sarma (Whole-time Director & Sr EVP – Energy). It has members representing all L&T businesses.
The Council’s mandate is to analyse past incidents and recommend solutions to place the Company firmly on the path of EHS excellence. As part of a wider roll-out programme, the Council, in December, presented its key findings and recommendations through a rich webinar – Recommitting to Mission Zero Harm. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), a key customer of L&T, participated in the webinar with its chairman Mr S M Vaidya delivering the keynote address as the guest of honour.
Several other senior IOCL officials who attended the event include Mr S K Awasthi (Executive Director HSE, Corporate Office), Mr Suresh Chopra (Executive Director-in-Charge, Projects), Mr Ravindra Garg (Executive Director, HSE Marketing, Head Office), Mr L N Phukan (Chief General Manager, HSE Refinery HQ) and Mr M R Dwibedy (Chief General Manager, HSE Pipeline HQ).
Addressing the company-wide audience of L&T-ites committed to a greener and safer future, Mr Sarma stated that the Council’s recommendations are well-researched and will enable L&T to continue to deliver project excellence by maintaining the highest EHS standards. He appealed to the audience to embrace the recommended practices and continue to promote a stronger EHS culture.
Mr Subrahmanyan shared his vision for EHS in L&T, emphasising that successful EHS is the result of well-thought-out, well-planned, well-executed strategy – and requires discipline, focus, and sensitivity towards creating a safe work-culture of zero-tolerance for unsafe practices.Underlining the importance that L&T leaders attach to EHS, Mr Subrahmanyan said: “We are all safety stewards. Every employee is an EHS officer and should possess the attitude and approach of one”.
He welcomed the increasingly important role of technology, training and communication as safety enablers. Finally, he advised all to learn from the best global EHS organisations and even exceed their standards. “In the final analysis”, he concluded, “our safety is our responsibility”.
Delivering the keynote address, Mr Vaidya highlighted the importance of EHS in business operations. He elaborated upon the challenges faced by the industry and how IOCL has played an important role in overcoming these challenges, including maintaining the supply of the essential cooking gas across the country, despite the pandemic situation.
Mr Vaidya stressed upon the need of the entire workforce to be totally involved in safety aspects, fostered by a culture of collaboration, trust and joint problem-solving. Quoting safety expert Eleanor Everett, he said: “Safety is not a gadget, but it is a state of mind. It can be achieved at Zero Harm level with the active support of the top management, genuine involvement of the middle management and whole-hearted cooperation of all the stakeholders.”
He spoke of the ongoing global trends in energy transition and its favourable impact on the environment. Elaborating upon how India’s energy will evolve with all sources of energy co-existing, he spoke on the increasing role IOCL is playing in green energy and bio-fuel fields. Mr Vaidya commended L&T’s role as a vital construction partner in IOCL’s projects and nation-building. He appreciated L&T’s COVID precautions at IOCL’s Paradip refinery. Complimenting L&T for setting up the EHS Council, he wished this crucial endeavour every success.
Interesting Q&A sessions during the webinar enlightened the audience with insights from L&T’s ECom members. Presentations by EHS Council members offered a panoply of ideas and views on hot-button issues and challenges in organisational safety, and the implications of EHS discipline on business performance.
