Explore Ashok Kumar Singh's Extensive Experience

A Detailed Account of his track record and key achievements

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From Industry Leader to Consultant

of experience, 10+ refineries, clients

After a distinguished career within major organizations, I transitioned to independent consulting to directly apply my extensive experience to a wider range of clients. This allows me to provide tailored solutions and dedicated support, helping organizations of all sizes achieve their fire and safety goals.

My Core Consulting Strengths

Key Areas of Expertise

Drawing upon decades of experience, my core expertise encompasses a comprehensive range of fire and safety domains:

(Hover/ click on each tile below to know more)

HSE and Fire Audit

Comprehensive audits to ensure compliance, identify risks, and improve overall safety performance based on years of practical experience in diverse industrial settings.

Fire Risk & Load Study

Thorough analysis to understand potential fire hazards and develop effective risk mitigation strategies, informed by extensive work in high-risk environments like refineries.

Fire & Life Safety Audit

Ensuring the safety of personnel and assets through detailed evaluations of fire protection systems and life safety measures, honed through years of on-the-ground assessments.

Fire & Accident RCA

Expert investigation into incidents to determine root causes and implement preventative actions, drawing upon a long career of analyzing and learning from real-world events.

Process Safety Management

Implementing and improving systems to prevent catastrophic incidents in process industries, leveraging in-depth knowledge gained from years in operational and management roles.

ERDMP & Mock Drills

Expertise in emergency response planning and execution, including conducting realistic drills and compliance audits as per PNGRB standards.

Behaviour Based Safety

Promoting a safety-conscious culture by focusing on human factors and behaviours, developed through years of leading and training teams in safety-critical environments.

Safety & Process Training

Developing and delivering engaging training programs to build competence and awareness in fire, safety, and process safety principles.

Explore my detailed experience in these areas and discover how I can bring this expertise to your organization.

From Industry Leader to Consultant

Empowering Clients Through Independent Consulting

After a distinguished career within major organizations like IndianOil and KNPC (as detailed in my professional timeline), I transitioned to independent consulting to directly apply my extensive, hands-on experience to a wider range of clients.

This allows me to provide tailored solutions and dedicated support, helping organizations of all sizes achieve their fire and safety goals. My background in managing safety across refineries and various industrial settings provides a strong foundation for my current consulting work, where I’ve recently supported projects in the following sectors:

Steel, Power, Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals

Comprehensive HSE & Process Safety Audits (PSSR, pre-commissioning)

OHS Audit IS 14489-2018 for Power Plants (with DGFLASLI, NSC, Mumbai)

Fire Load & Fire Risk Assessment

Fire Investigation and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for Chemical & Waste Handling

FMCG & Automobiles

Thorough Fire & HSE Audits

Fire Load Calculation and Fire Risk Management for Food Industry

Hazardous Area Safety Audit and Recommendations for Automobile Industries

Hotels and Malls

Fire & Life Safety (FLS) Audits for Shopping Malls and Food Parks

Construction Safety Audits (Jewar Airport)

Pre-commissioning checks of fire erection and safety systems for Real Estate

Garment Exports

Expert in safety audits and training programs

Life and Building Safety (LABS) training and fire safety system audits

Interested in the specific services I offer? Explore how I can help.

Significant Tenures Shaping My Expertise

Building a Foundation: Key Companies in My Career

Gujarat Refinery Indian Oil

Mathura Refinery Indian Oil

Guwahati Refinery Indian Oil

KNPC MAA

KNPC MAB

KNPC SHU

Barauni Refinery Indian Oil

Panipat Refinery Indian Oil

May 2017 - Mar 2021

General Manager, Gujarat Refinery, IOCL

Led 13.7 MMTPA capacity, Gujarat refinery for F&S function with HSE reporting to Executive Director
Foresaw updation of statutory licenses, issue and audit certifications
Obtained PESO approvals
Facilitated step change improvement – HSE performance through leadership interventions
Initiated new safety mechanisms like 3H (Hard Hat Hours), hot job monitoring matrix, etc

Jul 2014 - May 2017

Deputy General Manager, Gujarat Refinery, IOCL

Positioned as the head of Fire & Safety department of Gujarat Refinery
Recruitment of fire engineers for all divisions and fire-fighting operations
Designed and built a model fire training ground for imparting live fire training to staff
Constructed a safety park and a fire equipment museum for training and awareness

Jul 2012 - Jun 2014

Chief Manger, Gujarat Refinery, IOCL

Managed a team of 75 professionally trained fire operators and engineers
Conducted mock drills in plant on real failure situations
Head the Off-site industrial emergency control room, reporting to state Govt District Collector, Vadodara District
Guided restoration work through tank evacuation and continuous gas monitoring during Hazira storage tank fire disaster of 2013

Jul 2007 - Jun 2012

Chief Manager, Mathura Refinery, IOCL

Acted as HOD of 8.24 MMTPA Mathura Refinery in Uttar Pradesh
Led and professionally trained a team of 30 fire operators and 10 engineers on industry best practices and new innovations
Ensured timely maintenance and testing of fire systems for reliability and 100% availability
Upgraded and adopted new technologies in F&S to remain industry leader
Published fire safety journals and bulletins for employee’s awareness
Handled one of the major tank fire disasters in Oct 2010 at Jaipur in IOCL marketing terminal where 122 tanks were burnt out and 10 casualties happened

May 2003 - Jun 2007

Senior Manager, Guwahati Refinery, IOCL

Acted as HOD of 3.0 MMTPA Guwahati Refinery in Assam
Managed environmental monitoring stations, effluent discharge testing and reporting, fire & safety systems, portable and fixed gas detectors and fire protection systems
Worked as a tech expert for disaster management core group of Assam District
Extended onsite response (monitoring safety) via IAF helicopter aid in Jatinga Assam where 29 Naphtha Rail wagons overturned and caught fire in access-limited forest terrain

May 2000 - May 2003

Safety Manager, Barauni Refinery, IOCL

Liaised with district administration and state fire brigade on all affairs of refinery fire safety and system maintenance
Coordinated the safety management and accident prevention expansion project for FCCU, ETP, SRU, GDS, Sulphur palletizer and packaging unit, DHDS, storage tanks, off-site piping and acid flare
Organized 5 Star safety management audit by British Safety Council, UK and brought Sword of honor for refinery
Mentored F&S teams of 9 refineries for establishing a sound safety management system and changing work culture towards zero accidents

Apr 1996 - May 2000

Safety Engineer, Mina Abdulla Refinery, KNPC

Deputed by GOI to collaborate with KNPC for 4 years
Monitored and assisted operations and maintenance groups for safe operations of new and old process plants
Advised operations on procuring safety work permits
Published F&S Bulletins for all three refineries of KNPC - MAA, MAB and SHU refineries.
Handled General Refinery Turn Around activities (GRTA) and was awarded best safety engineer by KNPC Management
Recruited contractual safety officers/supervisors and trained Kuwaiti Engineers

May 1995 - Apr 1996

Deputy Manager, Panipat Refinery, IOCL

Initiated and established F&S department at 15 MMPTA grass root refinery
Prepared specifications and procured fire tenders and equipment for fire station and electrical substations
Monitored safety activities of construction site having more than 10000 contract workers and imparted them safety awareness

Mar 1990 - May 1995

Senior Fire & Safety Officer, Barauni Refinery, IOCL

Maintained and calibrated fire fighting equipment and gas detectors
Provided classroom training to employees and contract operators
Coordinated with statutory bodies and pollution control boards

Feb 1986 - Mar 1990

Fire & Safety Officer, Barauni Refinery, IOCL

Single point of contact for incident reporting and investigation etc.
Procured firefighting chemicals and supported in safety inventor

Feb 1985 - Feb 1986

Graduate Engineer Trainee, Barauni Refinery, IOCL

Gained hands-on expertise on refinery process hazards and developed study reports for functional and non-functional areas (technical and non-technical)
Undertook LOAD program after 2 months orientation and familiarization program conducted by senior faculties

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