The Bahvi HPP, in the course of its operations, prioritizes compliance with labor safety standards and the creation of a safe environment for its employees as its top priority. During the construction phases of the Bahvi 1 and Bahvi 2 hydropower plants, safety is ensured through a special plan developed by the company's management, which includes the following documents: 1.Labor Safety and Health Protection Plan for the project; 2.Emergency Response Plan; 3.Safety Plan for adjacent communities.
Each document obligates the company to implement measures outlined by Georgian legislation as well as approaches specified by IFC's international standards. The primary objective of this approach is to ensure maximum safety for employees engaged in the Bahvi HPP project. This entails the creation and implementation/enforcement of an effective health and safety management system for the Bahvi HPP construction project.
employee: managers, officers, engineers, general workers, and all other individuals present at the work site. We are doing everything possible to prevent unforeseen incidents within the construction perimeter. Our company has a Health Protection and Labor Safety Department, whose head is responsible for policy development and enforcement. Additionally, the labor safety manager's duties include organizing worker instructions and overseeing the execution of safe work procedures; ensuring all employees are informed about the established policies; briefing project management on health and labor safety issues; conducting periodic inspections of the work area and responding immediately in case of violations," said Mikheil Natroshvili, Health Protection and Labor Safety Manager at Bahvi HPP.
Employees working on the Bahvi HPP project are equipped with the highest quality personal protective equipment available on the Georgian market, which includes specialized clothing and other gear. The labor safety manager and officer continuously monitor the work process. The project has a doctor who is permanently present on the construction site, equipped with all necessary medical tools. The project area features road safety signs and warnings that meet appropriate standards. Employees undergo daily safety instructions and training. Daily safety briefings allow workers to receive information about the specific hazards and risks associated with that day's tasks, such as how to conduct the work process to avoid injury, what to focus on, how to use various tools safely, and more. Additionally, new employees receive comprehensive safety training before entering the construction site. This training includes general information on the safe execution of all types of work ongoing on the project, rules for safely being and working on-site, as well as emergency response and notification systems. Flagmen are stationed at each section where machinery is operating to monitor the safe operation of this equipment. Mikheil Natroshvili, the Health Protection and Labor Safety Manager at Bahvi HPP, also conducted a special training session for students of Mtispiri Public School. The main goal of the training was to raise awareness on safety issues. It is important for the local population, living in villages near the construction perimeter, to know and adhere to safety norms, paying attention to safety signs placed on roads and near the construction perimeter sections.