Where safety leads, excellence follows – Vedanta Aluminium’s safety-first culture

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, SEPTEMBER 28, 2025

In large-scale industrial operations, where powerful machinery and intricate tools are commonplace, adopting a safety-first mindset is the most fundamental trait an employee must possess. Integrating this mindset into daily activities—both on the factory floor and beyond—ensures its adoption as a way of life, extending its influence to the wider community. Vedanta Aluminium recognizes this critical need and is committed to fostering a culture where every employee, partner, and community member is equipped to respond effectively to unsafe situations and emergencies.

At Vedanta Jharsuguda, the world’s largest aluminium plant, emergency preparedness is reinforced through regular, large-scale drills that simulate real-life scenarios. Conducted in collaboration with experts from organizations like the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority, these drills encompass more than just evacuation protocols. They include vital first-response techniques, such as trauma management and injury stabilization, ensuring that employees are thoroughly prepared for any emergency.

This proactive approach extends beyond the plant’s premises. Vedanta Aluminium conducts similar drills in nearby schools, where hundreds of students and teachers are trained in safe evacuation procedures and immediate first aid for a variety of emergencies. On key occasions such as World First Aid Day, the company broadens its outreach, empowering the next generation of citizens with life-saving skills. Experts from Vedanta’s Occupational Health team regularly conduct first aid and CPR training sessions for students, providing them with both theoretical knowledge and hands-on practice. From performing CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) to mastering wound care and identifying early signs of medical emergencies, these sessions equip young people to respond effectively in critical situations.

In line with its commitment to enhancing emergency response capabilities, Vedanta Aluminium has also implemented innovative programs within its workforce. A pioneering initiative in this regard is ‘Agnivahini,’ an all-women firefighting squad, which now boasts over 100 trained members. Additionally, the Safety Park at Vedanta Jharsuguda serves as a dedicated space where employees and business partners can interact with modern safety equipment and learn to use it in a controlled environment. Moreover, all new hires at the plant are required to undergo mandatory safety training, ensuring that they are well-prepared to handle any emergency.

At Vedanta Aluminium, first aid awareness and prompt emergency response are not viewed as peripheral skills but as core components of workplace and community safety. To reinforce this, the company conducts regular safety awareness sessions in local schools, gram panchayats, and neighborhoods around its operations. These engagements range from fire-safety demonstrations to workshops on safe practices during extreme weather events, such as lightning strikes. The goal is to equip community members with essential but life-saving skills—such as how to treat burns or manage fractures—while waiting for professional help to arrive. These initiatives contribute significantly to enhancing preparedness among the communities surrounding the Vedanta Jharsuguda plant.

Road safety, too, is a key focus area for Vedanta Aluminium, with numerous trucks operating both within and beyond the plant’s premises. Through initiatives like Road Safety Awareness Month and ‘Suraksha Sarathi,’ the company has trained thousands of drivers and helpers in preventive safety behaviors and first-aid response. These efforts are making public roads and highways safer for everyone. The recent inauguration of the Driver Welfare Complex at Vedanta Jharsuguda further strengthens this safety ecosystem by providing drivers with a space to rest, undergo safety training, and participate in structured educational sessions.

What truly sets Vedanta Aluminium’s approach apart is its belief that safety is not the responsibility of safety professionals alone but a shared duty among all members of its teams and communities. By integrating safety awareness into regular safety standdowns and monthly shopfloor engagements, the company fosters a culture of confidence and collective responsibility at all levels. Combining world-class industrial safety systems with grassroots outreach, Vedanta Aluminium is creating a comprehensive safety ecosystem that spans from its state-of-the-art smelters and power plants to the classrooms, roads, and villages that surround it.