Steel Authority of India : SAIL takes the fight against Corona head on; Upholds transparency at highest level

Release Date:

Wed, 06/17/2020 - 16:27

New Delhi, June 17, 2020: Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has been prompt and alert in proactively dealing with the outbreak of corona pandemic on a sustained basis. The Company has implemented several preventive measures across all its Plants, Units and Corporate office against the spread of COVID-19. As a part of this philosophy, a specialized team of doctors from Apollo Hospital was engaged to visit Ispat Bhawan, Corporate Office on 15.06.20 to carry out a re-assessment of efficacy of processes including sanitization, seating arrangements, social distancing, toilets, functioning of air conditioning etc. Recently, the Company has also tied up with this hospital to establish a knowledge sharing platform to tackle Corona, across SAIL. These novel steps have been taken considering the safety of the employees attending office and rendering duties.

It is noteworthy to mention here that steel industry comes under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). SAIL has upheld the safety of its employees in the highest priority during this world health challenge and operated strictly following the government guidelines issued from time to time. One of the cornerstone of the vision of the Company is to uphold the highest ethical standard in conducting business and ensuring welfare of its workforce at high levels. Like always, the Company is proud of its very talented and dedicated workforce and while recognizing the contribution of SAIL's employees, it has appreciated the contribution of its workforce at every platform.

During the trying times of Corona, when the Companies across the globe have been adopting novel and new practices to continue their working, SAIL has been one of the pioneers in adopting safe working practices so as to facilitate the employees in giving their best performance. SAIL is among the first Corporates to tie up with two renowned healthcare providers in Delhi, namely Max Healthcare and Apollo Hospitals to specifically assist in Covid treatment to its employees and their dependents. The steps are in tandem with the Company's continued initiatives in monitoring the situation to ensure employee's safety and health. SAIL, having its functioning in production, mining, marketing and a host of others spread across India, is relentlessly working towards ensuring safety of employees while they attend work and in its townships where SAIL employees with their families reside. These townships are the epicentres of the economic and social activities of those regions.

The sustained efforts in maintaining safety at SAIL workplaces and townships include:

1. Comprehensive sanitization and disinfection drive has been undertaken across the offices and Plants of SAIL, including intense sanitization of public places & markets in townships carried out regularly. At Ispat Bhawan, New Delhi sanitization (extensively carried out in collaboration with Government agency - Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC))

2. Thermal screening at entry points for monitoring body temperature of employees. Several scanners have been procured at various locations to facilitate smooth checking without any crowding.

3. Formulation of task forces at individual unit levels including a COVID Response Team (CRT) at Corporate Office having adequate representation from the Company 's doctors has been constituted to reach out to all employees including COVID positive cases to address their medical and other needs. The SAIL CRT is working on 24x7 basis to address the medical concerns of the employees and their families.

4. Adherence of social distancing and wearing of mask inside workplace made mandatory at every office. Large scale distribution of face masks, soap and sanitizers among employees and contract workers in Plant and Mines. Some Plants have issued circulars to impose fines if employees are found not wearing masks and not following pillion riding norms.

5. Physical movement of papers/ files have been restricted. People are mainly working through e-mode. The biometric attendance systems have been suspended for marking attendance and more and more meetings are being conducted through VC/online platforms.

6. At Corporate Office and in Plants, wherever is possible, facility of work from home and is being implemented. At Corporate Office, roster based flexible work schedules have strictly been implemented for employees attending office. The concerned Functional Directors/ HoDs have been fully authorised to change the roster as per the requirement. The vulnerable group of employees such as pregnant women, employees with underlying health conditions, co -morbidities, divyangjan etc. have been allowed to Work From Home. At Bhilai, SAP, Virtual Private Network (VPN) facilities extended to more than 200 officers across function to carry out various activities. Software guidance has been extended to facilitate Work from Home activities for users in SAP, Zoom, WEBEX, other online meeting platforms

7. Realignment of sitting locations has been explored to provide safe distance among the employees at Corporate Office. To de-congest the Office at Ispat Bhawan, a number of employees have been relocated to the other office at Scope Minar, Laxmi Nagar.

8. Plants are also developing and adopting more and more E-training modules. SAIL's foremost training institute at MTI, Ranchi has developed various e-training modules to continue with its learning programs for employees.

9. At Plants, elaborate arrangements made at Medical department to take care of patients and medicines have been procured to handle exigencies. Quarantine Centres have also been set up at various plant locations to handle quarantining facilities.

SAIL, at this time of global challenge, will stand united as ever to handle all the issues. The Company is a responsible corporate which believes in and upholds the well being of employees as a major priority. The dependents of employees are facilitated with similar health services as those of employees. At a time, when health safety measures are the supreme concern, the Company stands committed to provide the best possible facilities not only at work places but also at the residential areas and townships under the Company.

SAIL/PR/2020-21/13

Date: 17.6.20