THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, SEPTEMBER 8, 2026

JSW Steel Odisha Mining Division on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to achieving the highest standards of safety, sustainability and technological advancement in mining operations at its Tripartite Safety Review Meeting 2026 here.

The meeting brought together senior management of JSW Steel, officials of the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS), employees and other stakeholders to deliberate on safety initiatives, digital innovations and collective strategies aimed at creating safer and more inclusive workplaces.

The programme began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp, followed by a safety briefing, National Song, DGMS Anthem and the Safety Oath, reflecting the participants' collective commitment to workplace safety.

Welcoming the gathering, JSW Steel Odisha Mining Division Business Head Prasanna Panda highlighted the company's continued focus on safety excellence and employee well-being. He said the division's achievement of zero fatalities reflected the effectiveness of its safety systems and a culture centred on continuous improvement.

Head of Operations and Projects Ram Shankar Sharma outlined key aspects of mining operations and safety practices and showcased WISE (Web-enabled Illumination Surveying Equipment), a digital solution developed by the JSW Odisha Mining Division to strengthen illumination safety standards across mining areas.

JSW Steel Mining COO Sauvick Mazumder underlined the company's efforts to increase women's participation in the mining sector, saying the current representation of women in its mining operations stood at 9 per cent and the company aimed to raise it to 30 per cent.

"We deeply value the suggestions from DGMS and our employees, and all inputs will be seriously considered and implemented," Mazumder said, adding that safety remained a non-hierarchical priority across the organisation.

He also pointed out that the Odisha mining division had recorded no fatal or major accidents over the last five years, describing the achievement as a reflection of the organisation's strong safety culture.

DGMS officials appreciated the division's consistent zero-accident record and stressed the need for strengthening emergency preparedness. Deputy Director General Shyam Sundar Prasad emphasised regular CPR training and retraining for employees, while also calling for greater participation of women in mining and ensuring their safety at workplaces as key components of sustainable and inclusive growth.

The meeting also reviewed action points emerging from the Tripartite Safety Meeting 2025 and assessed progress on recommendations made at the 12th National Safety Conference.

Inputs from workmen formed an important part of the deliberations, with participants discussing ways to further strengthen ground-level safety practices and ensure that safety measures remain effective across mining operations.

The meeting concluded with a renewed emphasis on collective responsibility, continuous innovation and adherence to the highest safety benchmarks to build safer, more sustainable and inclusive mining operations.