Latest tragedy rekindles safety concerns over ageing infra at Vizag steel plant

Visakhapatnam: The ladle explosion at Vizag Steel Plant on Monday, which claimed at least eight lives, has once again thrust industrial safety in the steel sector into the spotlight. The latest tragedy highlights a stark contrast in safety culture, infrastructure lifecycle, and risk mitigation measures between public sector undertakings and private steel producers in the country.While private steel plants are not immune to industrial accidents, major fatal incidents occur far less frequently. By leveraging extensive automation and advanced safety systems, these plants maintain a low global fatality frequency rate of 0.016, according to World Steel Association metrics. In contrast, the public sector continues to face systemic safety challenges, evidenced by the 131 fatalities recorded across all Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) plants over the last decade.To understand the systemic nature of these risks, one has to look at Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited’s (RINL) history over the past 15 years, which reveals a recurring pattern of infrastructure failures and molten metal-related incidents.In 2012, RINL suffered its deadliest year on record when two contract workers were burnt to death in a massive blast at blast furnace-3 in May, followed just a month later by an explosion during the commissioning of converter-1 at steel melting shop-2 that claimed 19 lives.Data from 2014 to 2016 show a steady stream of workplace casualties. RINL reported five deaths and 14 injuries in 2014, including two contract engineers who died from carbon monoxide asphyxiation following a gas leak. In 2015, fatalities declined slightly to four deaths, including an assistant general manager who died after falling into a rotating drum, while injuries reduced marginally to 13 cases. However, fatalities increased again to six deaths in 2016, even though injuries declined to 10.Subsequent incidents further showed the risks associated with everyday steelmaking operations. In Jan 2019, a hot metal pipe exploded in blast furnace-3. In Dec 2020, four workers sustained burn injuries after molten steel spilled from a ladle in steel melting shop-1, the same department where Monday’s fatal accident occurred. In Feb 2023, a breakout of molten steel in SMS-2 (steel melting shop) injured nine workers, while in May 2025, 300 tonnes of molten steel spilled during transportation within the plant, triggering a major fire.Industry experts have long argued that contract employees often perform high-risk tasks while facing varying levels of safety oversight. This persistent pattern remains a critical issue because RINL operates ageing facilities that frequently contend with the chronic wear and tear associated with decades-old infrastructure. Trade unions have repeatedly alleged that ageing machinery, damaged refractory linings, and delayed preventive maintenance are the primary drivers behind these recurring disasters.“The loss of human life on the shop floor will remain a serious concern unless public sector steel plants undergo substantial technological upgrades. They should meanwhile transition from a culture of post-accident inquiries to accident prevention,” said Kolli Ramesh Naidu, an industrial safety expert.CPM leader M Jaggu Naidu alleged that the accident occurred because old machinery was not replaced as part of a conspiracy to privatise the plant. “Substandard raw materials were being supplied and insufficient importance was being given to safety measures. Retrenchment of 6,000 contract workers, the employment of inexperienced contract labourers, and the implementation of voluntary retirement scheme for 2,000 permanent employees contributed to such accidents,” claimed Naidu.