136 workers lost lives in mishaps at steel PSUs: Federation

THANE: A total of 136 workers have lost their lives in mishaps at public sector steel companies during 2009 and 2012, according to a report by the Federation of Steel, Metal and Engineering.

"While 132 out of the total workers were killed at the units run by the Steel Authority of India ( SAIL), the rest 34 workers lost their lives in industrial accidents at various units of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL)", said general secretary of the Federation Sanjay Wadhavkar.

He said that the SAIL and RINL have collectively paid a compensation totalling Rs. 17,37,13,722 to the nearest kin of the deceased till October 2012.

The Federation has listed these findings in its annual report on industrial mishaps at the steel units of public sector companies, Wadhavkar said.

The report was presented at the national meet of the Federation here that concluded on Saturday.

Citing the report, Wadhavkar claimed that the maximum of accidental deaths occurred at units of Bokaro Steel and IISCO Steel.

"While 39 fatalities happened in 2009, 43 workers were killed in 2010, 29 workers in 2011 and 25 workers till October in 2012", he said, adding SAIL and RINL accounted for 391 and 187 accidents, respectively.

Wadhavkar said the issue of the occupational health and safety at workplace in steel sector figured top on the priority list of trade unions.

He alleged that "negligence" on part of the managements and "unavailability of the skilled workers" were the causes behind the accidents.