Corporate Health, Safety and Environment

At GAIL, Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) are embedded in our core values, ensuring that occupational health, workplace safety, and environmental protection are integral to our business operations. Our HSE Policy reflects top management’s commitment to proactive risk management, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement in safety protocols.

HSE Governance & Strategy

We integrate advanced technology, digitization, and global best practices to maintain world-class HSE standards. All pipelines, plants, and associated facilities are designed, built, operated, and maintained in accordance with national and international safety regulations to prevent accidents, mitigate risks, and ensure business continuity. A strong safety culture is promoted within the organization, encouraging employees and contract workers to identify, report, and halt unsafe workplace practices. Our Integrated Health, Safety, and Environment Management System (HSE-MS) provides structured policies and procedures that ensure compliance with GAIL’s HSE objectives across all business units.

Key Pillars of GAIL’s HSE Excellence

1. Environmental & Occupational Health Protection: GAIL prioritizes a safe and risk-free workplace for employees, contractors, and stakeholders by implementing stringent environmental standards focused on air, water, and waste management to minimize environmental impact.
2. Global Safety Standards & Risk Mitigation:We emphasize regulatory compliance with national laws, including Section 41(G) of Factories Act 1948, to establish Safety Committees at both corporate and site levels, consisting of equal representation from management and non-management personnel, trade unions. Through Mines Act, 1952, and Dock Workers (Safety, Health & Welfare) Act, 1986 for periodic audits and risk assessments are done to identify and mitigate workplace hazards.
3. HSE Training & Emergency Preparedness: GAIL conducts regular safety training programs to equip employees with industry best practices. We also enhance emergency response readiness through mock drills and crisis simulations, ensuring swift and effective risk management.
4. Health & Hygiene Monitoring: We ensure comprehensive employee well-being through risk-based medical check-ups and workplace hygiene protocols, focusing on disease prevention, mental wellness, and ergonomic safety.
5. Sustainable Waste & Resource Management: GAIL follows responsible biomedical and e-waste disposal practices while integrating circular economy principles to optimize resource utilization and waste reduction.
6. Transparent Stakeholder Communication: We maintain continuous HSE reporting, by disclosing key policies, KPIs, and performance metrics. Additionally, GAIL fosters community and industry engagement by collaborating with employees, regulatory bodies, and industry leaders to drive sustainability initiatives.

HSE Management System

Our HSE Management System (HSEMS) is designed in accordance with the Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) Standard for the petroleum industry. This integrated approach helps prevent losses related to personnel, materials, equipment, and the environment while aligning with global best practices in workplace safety. The framework s embedded into daily operations and consists of key functionalities that ensure proactive risk management and regulatory compliance:

• Incident Management System captures safety observations, records near-miss events, and documents incidents/accidents.
• Risk Assessment & Job Safety Analysis evaluates potential hazards and ensures preventive measures in critical job tasks.
• Safety Audits & Monitoring for regular audits and inspections to maintain compliance and identify improvement areas.
  • To foster a culture of safety, , employees can report hazards and near-miss incidents through our dedicated HSE portal, allowing for timely corrective actions and risk mitigation.

HSE Score System for continuous tracking of HSE compliance: GAIL has developed a structured HSE Score System, approved by Functional Directors, which evaluates:

1. Leadership & Commitment
2. Employee Participation & Safety Culture
3. Work Permit System & Risk Management
4. Operation & Maintenance of Safety Equipment
5. Emergency Preparedness & Crisis Management
6. Regulatory Compliance Audits

HSE Score Implementation Process

Health, Safety and Environmental Management Performance of GAIL’s installations are measured by the “HSE Score System,” which is evaluated on a monthly. In accordance with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) (Codes of Practices for Emergency Response and Disaster Management Plan (ERDMP) Regulations 2010 and its subsequent amendments, incidents are categorized as Minor and Major. All GAIL sites are required to submit their Annual HSE Plan and Training Calendar by April 30th, ensuring a structured approach to health, safety, and environmental management. Site heads systematically log HSE performance data in the online HSE Performance Portal, enabling real-time monitoring and evaluation.

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) at GAIL

GAIL places employee health and workplace safety at the core of its operations through well-structured Occupational Health Guidelines. These guidelines define essential requirements for occupational health infrastructure, medical surveillance programs, health data documentation, and bio-medical waste management to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.

GAIL demonstrates its strong commitment to occupational health and safety by ensuring that 100% of its major operational sites are certified under OHSAS 18001:2007. This reflects the organization’s proactive approach to implementing and maintaining robust health and safety management systems across all its facilities.

Employee Health Monitoring & Wellness Programs

• Annual Medical Health Check-ups: Permanent employees undergo annual occupational health assessments to monitor their well-being.
• Health Awareness & Lifestyle Improvement Programs: Periodic workshops and training sessions are conducted to promote healthier habits.
• Health Scoring System: Employees receive a personal health score based on predefined parameters, encouraging continuous improvement.
• Cumulative Health Index: A site-wide health index is calculated based on individual employee scores to assess and enhance overall well-being.

For continuous improvement strategy, GAIL is committed to deploying Digital Safety Monitoring Tools to enhance real-time risk management, expanding Occupational Health Programs to include mental health & well-being initiatives, strengthening Supply Chain HSE Compliance, and ensuring vendors and contractors adhere to stringent safety protocols.

Environment, Health and Safety Management System (EHSMS)

At GAIL, safety excellence is driven by a robust Online Safety Observation & Incident Management System, integrated with an SAP-based EHSMS to ensure real-time monitoring, & risk assessment. The system is designed to ensure immediate corrective action, in compliance with OISD, PNGRB, PESO, and Factory Directorate guidelines. The platform standardizes Incident Management, Job Safety Analysis (JSA), Risk Assessment, and Change Management across all operational sites, fostering a proactive safety culture. Automated workflows enhance accountability and clarity, shifting compliance from a reactive process to a structured risk-prevention framework. GAIL’s Work Permit System is directly linked to JSA, strengthening safety protocols before job execution. A user-friendly monitoring dashboard provides Safety Coordinators and Site Officers with real-time tracking and analytics, enhancing decision-making and operational efficiency.

Safety Audits & Compliance Monitoring

We uphold the highest standards of safety, regulatory compliance, and operational resilience through a structured framework of internal and external safety audits.

• Internal Safety Audits: Conducted annually by GAIL’s Corporate Team, covering Pipelines and Gas Processing Plants through Proactive Safety Audits & Corporate Safety Audits, aligned with PNGRB, OISD, and Factory Directorate regulations. In FY 2023-24, 25 Internal Technical & Safety Audits were completed, alongside 02 Electrical Safety Audits ensuring adherence to electrical safety standards.
• External Safety Audits (ESA): GAIL engages PNGRB-approved Third-Party Inspection Agencies (TPIAs) and external regulatory bodies to conduct annual audits for major installations, in compliance with Manufacture, Storage & Import of Hazardous Chemical (MSIHC) Rules, 1989. In FY 2023-24, 25 ESAs were successfully completed.
• PNGRB T4S Safety Audits: Focused on LPG storage, NG/LPG pipelines, and CGD networks, ensuring alignment with industry safety benchmarks. FY 2023-24 saw 18 T4S audits conducted by PNGRB-approved TPIAs.
• OISD Safety Audits: Conducted every 3-4 years for Gas Processing Plants, Petrochemicals, and Pipelines, assessing compliance with OISD safety guidelines. In FY 2023-24, 03 external safety audits were completed by OISD

Link: Sustainability Report 2023-24 https://www.gailonline.com/SBReports.html