RG Kar Hospital Implements Safety Measures After Tragic Lift Death
In a significant response to the recent tragic incident, the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata has taken concrete steps to enhance elevator safety within its premises. For the first time since the death of 40-year-old Arup Banerjee, both elevators in the Trauma Care building were operated by liftmen on Monday. This development comes as the investigation into the fatal accident continues, with lift number 2, involved in the incident, remaining sealed by authorities.
Hospital Submits Audit Report and Proposals for Manpower Increase
The hospital administration has submitted an audit report indicating that the lift in question underwent a mandatory health check-up only a few weeks prior to the accident. On Monday, a comprehensive team including police officers, forensic experts, Public Works Department officials, and representatives from the private lift maintenance company revisited the Trauma Care building to further examine the circumstances.
Simultaneously, the hospital authority has forwarded a series of proposals to Swasthya Bhawan officials. A key recommendation is the increase in manpower to ensure that all 32 elevators across various hospital blocks can have an operator present 24 hours a day, seven days a week. "We would require a total of 96 lift operators to cover three shifts. Currently, we face a significant manpower shortage and are awaiting approval from Swasthya Bhawan for additional staff," revealed a source within RG Kar Hospital.
Mixed Implementation and Patient Relief
While the Trauma Care building now has liftmen, other buildings within the hospital complex still lack this safety measure due to the ongoing manpower crunch. This partial implementation highlights the challenges faced by the institution. However, for those using the Trauma Care elevators, the presence of operators has brought some reassurance. "It is a sigh of relief that both the lifts have lift operators today. I avoid using the lifts on my own since the tragic death," stated Mohammad Dadul, a relative of a patient.
To bolster safety further, the hospital administration has instructed assistant supervisors on duty to conduct frequent rounds of all buildings. This measure aims to quickly identify any emerging crises and initiate immediate action, thereby preventing similar incidents in the future.
Police Investigation Uncovers New Details
The Kolkata Police investigation has progressed, with interrogations of the arrested lift operators revealing that they heard screams for help but could not immediately pinpoint their origin. Police disclosed that one liftman descended to the basement using another elevator, only to find it opened to a locked iron grille. The basement houses the highly sensitive radiotherapy unit, and security guards hold the keys to these grille gates.
Investigators have also uncovered that someone accessed the roof of the building, where the lift machine room containing the control panel is located. Police are currently examining whether an attempt was made from this machine room to operate the lift and if the lift was activated at that critical moment. These findings are crucial in piecing together the events leading to the unfortunate death.
The combined efforts of the hospital and police underscore a commitment to improving safety protocols and ensuring such tragedies are not repeated. As the hospital awaits a decision on manpower augmentation, the immediate steps taken reflect a proactive approach to addressing systemic vulnerabilities in public healthcare infrastructure.
