COVID-19 crisis calls for a paradigm shift in public health policies

Suvek Salankar, Head- Fire & Safety, Rustomjee Constructions talks about the current occupational safety and health scenario in India and its comparison to global standards, key challenges related to implementing safety regulations within a large organisation, given the COVID-19 pandemic, what more does the government needs to do to help improve OSH awareness and provides advice to large occupational safety and health shows such as OSH India to help further the cause of spreading awareness about safety in Indian organisations.

Interviewed by Adeesh Sharma

Q 1: What is your assessment about the current occupational safety and health scenario in India? How does it compare to global standards?

We know that India is fast growing economy and world's largest democracy with huge population of almost 1.3 billion. Out of this, almost 64 % is working age group. More than 90% is a part of unorganised sector and less than 10% is part of organized sector. New service industries like Information Technology, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) are increasing rapidly and so is the proportion of females in the workforce.

The occupational safety and health (OSH) scenario in India are relatively complex. Here growth and progress go hand in hand with OSH challenges which includes huge unskilled workforce especially in unorganized sector which are very easily available, inadequate implementation of existing legislation, outsourcing, lack of reliable OSH data, shortage of trained OSH professionals, short life cycle of OSH, mindset about OSH at every level and so on.

I strongly believe that unless identified nothing can be prevented. Although HIRA and other risk identification techniques are available with almost all the organisations but still accidents are happening. Why? There are obviously only two reasons for that, one is our risk identification is not proper and the other is SOP is not followed at workplace. At basic level, reporting of near miss incident is very important for hazard identification but it is observed that this is not followed very meticulously.

Also, Health hazards is still underestimated as compared safety hazards across industries. This may be due to its delayed results. So, health hazards should be given equal importance.

But the positive side is, factors like increasing awareness are also ensuring making worker more aware about the hazard. Now a days more and more “Right to Information” demands are observed from workers. We are definitely improving in OSH in last few years but still lot to be done as compared to global standards and practices. Here OSH professionals need to play a vital role of a catalyst to achieve OSH at national level.

Q2.  What are the key challenges related to implementing safety regulations within a large organisation, given the COVID-19 pandemic?

I must say, current COVID-19 crisis called for a complete paradigm shift in public health policies. Whatever has happened is beyond imagination. Post COVID-19 pandemic, occupational health will take front seat unlike earlier. Every document related to OSH including contingency plan need to be revisited considering such diseases.

There will be various changes in the understanding of health and safety. May in few cases, we need to involve in activities which were not considered as a part of OSH management system earlier. Sicknesses which were normal earlier will not be accepted now. Practices which were normal earlier will no longer be normal. Definition of “accepted practices” will change.

Q3: What more do you believe the government needs to do to help improve OSH awareness?

Although government authorities are doing their best to guide and implement OSH practices across industries, there are few areas which can be thought off,

1. Clarity on OSH regulations and enforcement authorities in few cases.

2. Updated national OSH data should be available which can be analysed and may be useful for further line of action by various organisations.

3. OSH case studies may be circulated.

4. Leading indicators should be reviewed in addition to lagging indicators.

Q 4: What is your advice to large occupational safety and health shows such as OSH India to help further the cause of spreading awareness about safety in Indian organisations?

OSH India is one of the best platforms, where entire life cycle of safety products is under one roof. What I mean the life cycle of safety products is, all the designers, researchers, manufacturer, authorities and end users come together at one place and discuss their views for further improvement. I always believe that in Health and Safety, innovations and new initiatives are always required, along with the conventional implementation of safety management system, which is very evident at OSH India.

The panel discussions and presentations on various topics of Health and Safety are very informative and useful. If time permits, the panel discussion may be more interactive along with the audience.