UrBC, Yekaterinburg, April 26, 2019. EVRAZ Nizhny Tagil Metallurgical Plant (EVRAZ NTMK) coordinated large-scale civil defense and emergency drills at its sites this month. The drills involved the gas rescue service, doctors from NikoMed medical unit, firefighters from Section 4 of the Federal Fire Service, the private security company Interlock NTMK, and members of Nizhniy Tagil Council.

According to EVRAZ Holding Ural’s Corporate Relations Center, the drills focused on rescue operations after a chlorine explosion and an oil spill, informing the management in case of an emergency, practicing the routines the Wheel Band Department’s workers have for distributing and putting on individual protective gear, and making sure the Rail & Beam Department’s casualty clearing station is kept fully ready.

‘Workers from Coke Plant 3 practiced evacuating to a shelter in case of a chlorine leak. The Preproduction Department employees drilled the routine for dealing with an oil spill. According to the terms of the simulation, 1,000 kg of oil got spilled and had to get deactivated and collected with special appliances very fast,’ the company says.

An ad hoc committee comprising EVRAZ NTMK top managers and the town council officials supervised the actions of the rescue teams and civil defense units.

‘The committee evaluated the workers’ rescue expertise quite highly: all the teams arrived on the scene on time, used special-purpose appliances and protective gear in their work, and removed all the hazards promptly,’ EVRAZ says.