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New guidelines issues for restarting industries after Lockdown- Says (NDMA)
"While restarting the unit, consider the first week as the trial or test run period
ensure all safety protocols; and not try to achieve high production targets," Said (NDMA).
Due to the closure of manufacturing units in the duration of the lock down,it has been amused that industrial units have not followed the established standing procedures."As a result, some of the manufacturing facilities, pipelines, valves, etc. may have residual chemicals, which may pose risk. The same is true for the storage facilities with hazardous chemicals and flammable materials," NDMA said.
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New guidelines for restarting Industries.
- While restarting the unit, consider the first week as the trial or test run period; ensure all safety protocols; and not try to achieve high production targets.
- To minimize the risk it is important that employees who work on specific equipment are sensitized and made aware of the need to identify abnormalities like strange sounds or smell, exposed wires, vibrations, leaks, smoke, abnormal wobbling, irregular grinding or other potentially hazardous signs which indicate the need for an immediate maintenance or if required shutdown.
- Especially during the Covid-19 times, ensure all lockout and tagout procedures are in place on a daily basis
- Inspection of all equipment as per the safety protocols during the restart phase.
- If they face difficulties for restarting the industries units, so they can visit the local district administration for specific assistance.
- In case the industry has any difficulty in managing crucial backward linkages that may be critical for their safe functioning, they should approach the local district administration for specific assistance. District Magistrates may be instructed to ensure that in such instances, the industrial unit may be facilitated to run their end to end operations, in the overall interests of industrial security.
Many more guidelines relate to storage of raw materials, manufacturing processes, storage and guidelines for workers are given below:-
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General guidelines for restarting industries processes:-
1. Storage of raw material
- Inspection of the Storage items to check the wear and tear of manufacturing parts during the lock-down.
- Check for already opened storage vessels,containers,bags,silos for possible oxidation,chemical reaction and rusting etc
- Chemical stability should be check for Hazmat Chemicals before using in industries.
- Proper lighting and ventilation should be checked in the storage rooms.
- Check of abnormalities like strange sounds or smell, exposed wires and smoke.
- Inspect of storage building and roof for damage and distress.
- Check supply pipelines,valves,conveyor belts for any signs of wear & tear.
2. Manufacturing Processes
- Before restarting the operation, complete check of safety and securities unit for the workers.
- Cleaning of pipelines and discharge lines by using mechanical equipment.
- Supervision must be their of rotating equipment's.
- Complete check of furnaces, Boilers and heat ex-changers for wear and tear.
- Inspect all pressure and temperature gauges for industrial function.
- Check supply pipelines/valves/conveyor belts for any residual material and wear and tear. Also check all the pipelines / valves for obstructions/ pressure levels.
- Tightness test:Many process units handle combustibles or toxic substances (or both), the leakage of which could result in disaster, damage, or economic loss. To prevent the occurrence of such incidents, it is necessary to confirm that the plant complies with the required tightness before start-up.
- Service test need to be performed for all water, compressed air, and steam piping and equipment with normal operating fluids. The system is first pressurized with operating fluids and then checked for leakage. For air lines, leaks can be found using soap solution. For water and condensate lines, the leakage can be observed visually. Leakage points found during the test are re-tightened. The test is deemed successful if no foam is observed from soap solution, or if no water or condensate is observed visually.
- Vacuum hold test: All vacuum systems must be leak tested. Air inside the system is first evacuated to attain the required vacuum. The best way is to start at one end of the section and work through to the other end, checking flanges, valves, fittings, instruments, and other equipment. Each leak is tagged, making it easy for the maintenance team and personnel of the next shift to continue with the work.
- Trial testing be carried out before the full-fledged production is initiated with full human resources
- Ensure the arrangement for round-the-clock emergency crews/ professional technical teams provided with (MAH) and cluster of (MAH) should have an extended coverage of 200 km to reach transport accident spots for help.
3. Storage of products
- Check the storage facilities / silos for any damage or wear and tear
4. Guidelines for the Industrial workers
A. Ensure 24 -hour sanitisation of the factory premises.
- Sanitisation routine should be maintained by the industries after every two-three hours especially in the common areas that include lunch rooms and common tables which will have to be wiped clean with disinfectants after every single use.
- For accommodation, sanitation needs to be performed regularly to ensure worker safety and reduce spread of contamination.
- Workers temperature should be under check twice a day
- If workers is detected with virus symptoms then he shouldn't be allowed to work.
C. Provisions of hand sanitizes and mask to all employers.
- Gloves, masks and hand sanitizes should be available to the workers and staff at factories and manufacturing unit.
D. COVID-19 health and prevention staff education
- All safety steps should be taken, while entry and exit in the factory.
- For completing eradication of virus, precautions should be taken at personal level.
E. Quarantine measures for supply and storage of goods
- Quarantine of boxes and wrappers that are brought in factories.
- Finished goods must be kept in isolation.
- Delivery of goods should take place in shifts.
F. Physical distancing measures.
- Create physical barriers to ensure the physical distance within the work floor and dining facilities.
- Maintenance of social distancing between the workers, while creating physical barriers.
- Face Masks must be used to protect against virus infection.
G. Working in shifts.
- Factories should consider one hour gap between shifts, except factories/plants requiring continuous operations.
- Managerial and administrative staff should work one shift at 33 per cent capacity as per MHA guidelines; but while deciding which particular person to be included in 33% at any given point of time, overriding priority should be given to personnel dealing with safety.
- Ensure no sharing of tools or workstations to the extent possible. Provide additional sets of tools if needed.
H. Scenario plan on discovering a positive case.
- Factories have to prepare accommodation to isolate workers, if needed.
- HR has to help manage the whole process for individual, all travelling employees also to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine
I. Presence of skilled workers
- Workers involved in dealing with hazardous material must be skilled and experienced in the field. No compromise on deployment of such workers should be permitted when an industrial unit is opened up.
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