If you have been in this long enough you have heard
the stories of the past. You have heard the stories of workers being killed by molten
metal explosions. You have heard the stories of workers who inhaled molten
metal when some of these explosions occurred. We shiver just imagining the pain
that workers in the past must have suffered through until practices and
personnel protection equipment mitigated this hazard. But, sadly in some few
isolated plants following the current best practices toward safety is lacking
or non-existent. Here is a recent story that has a better ending than one would
have expected:
In a rare medical procedure, an expert in ENT
and Endoscopic Skull Base surgery at the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS)
and SUM Hospital, Odisha, India successfully removed
pieces of aluminium from the left nostril of an industrial worker.
Prakash Mallick, 22, who worked in an
aluminium industry in Surat, was injured following an explosion in the plant.
As a result, he inhaled aluminium in liquid gaseous form at a very high
temperature. It turned into solid aluminium inside his nostril after coming
into contact with body temperature.
Mallick was unable to breathe as he
developed complete stenosis (narrowing of the passage) in the left nostril. He was
taken under the care of Dr Radhamadhab Sahu, internationally known Endoscopic
Skull Base surgeon and senior consultant in ENT and Skull Base Surgery.
He successfully removed about 20 grams of solidified
aluminium from the patient’s left nostril. It was clinging to the surrounding
bones close to the brain. Dr Sahu removed it through an advanced endoscopic
technique, freeing the nasal passage.
Mallick has started breathing normally and
his condition is improving.
Describing it as a “very challenging and rare
case”, Dr Sahu said aluminium melts at 640 degree C. After the gaseous aluminium
entered the nasal cavity, it got solidified and took the shape of the nostril blocking
the passage and tightly adherent to surrounding structures.
“All the particles were removed by advanced
endoscopic technique, and a new passage created for the nostril with the procedure
spanning over two hours,” he said.
We are
so very thankful for the doctor in this story. His good work has allowed an
injured worker to finally begin to heal from this molten metal explosion.
We hope that we are not being disrespectful by including names and
location in the story. That is not our intention. In our opinion the Indian
aluminium industry has gotten a less than positive reputation towards worker
safety that is unwarranted. There are many companies that care about safety.
The problem is the illegal factories that sprout up without the knowledge of
local officials. The problem with illegal factories is not an Indian problem
per se, we have reported incidents throughout the globe that occurs at these illegal
factories.
We will use this story to educate thousands of workers around the
globe. How? Not by demeaning or being disrespect to this worker. But, to remind
the workers that we speak that if their task requires a face shield that the
shield needs to be used properly. All too often we will observe workers around
molten metal with their face shield in the raised position when it should be
down providing the protection.
Please comment.
1 comment:
God bless him
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