In these times of severe economic stress, workers often face job security issues and are seldom forced to work under extreme hardships, risking their lives and putting their families at risk of losing livelihood. Even worse is the risk of causing permanent damage to one’s physical well being and with it the ability to carry out one’s professional responsibilities. It has been estimated that indirect costs associated with an accident or physical trauma could be upto ten times greater than the direct costs suffered through loss of income.

All this calls for organisations to be extra cautious as far as safety and health of workers is concerned. Moreover, those working in chemical industries as well as in industries where lot of toxins are continuously released in the environment as part of industrial processing are perpetually at risk of developing occupational diseases that include respiratory diseases such as asthma, silicosis, asbestosis, COPD; skin related diseases and allergies; cancer; musculoskeletal disease, neuro disorders; mental and emotional stress, etc.

By employing the services of a competent industrial hygienist, organisations can develop a robust, practical and cost-effective strategy to tackle challenges to occupational safety and health, and also prevent workers from developing debilitating conditions during the course of discharging their duties.

Comprehensive training programmes as part of skill development can help workers recognise early symptoms of any potential occupational disease.

UBM India has been organising OSH India, South Asia's largest safety & health expo and conference in Mumbai since 2012. The exhibition brings together more than 6000 national and international key industry professionals across construction, manufacturing, PPE and other key industry domains. The 2017 edition saw over 140 brands offering exclusive deals on more than 10,000 products across safety & health, ergonomics, material handling and service management including work wear, evacuation systems, gas detection, behavioural safety services and more.

As part of this journey and to further spread awareness on Occupational Safety & Health, UBM India has a dedicated show for the South Indian industry—OSH South India. After organising four successful editions in Chennai, the 5th edition of OSH South India is slated to be held in Hyderabad.

For OSH South India we already have 50 key sponsors that includes Udyogi, Draeger, Prolite, Acme Safetywear, Venus Safety & Health, Sagar Asia, Midas Safety, Motorola, Heapro, Mtandt, JLG, ReflectoSafe and ProcessMap. The number is going to build up in the days to come and we expect more than 100+ brands to showcase their occupational safety and health range at the exhibition. Some of the key associations supporting OSH India include DISH, Gujarat Safety Council, International Powered Access Federation, Green Triangle Society, Indian Technical Textile Association and Aerial Platform Association of India. The show provides a wide range of avenues to do business and gain knowledge at various forums.

The onground promotion activities are going on with full fervour across the various industrial zones in South India and we expect more than 4,000+ visitors across the two days of exhibition and conference. The UBM marketing team has reached out to most industrial clusters and key organisations in five states and more than 25 cities in South India to ensure their participation in the exhibition cum conference. In Tamil Nadu we have visited the Ambattur Industrial Association in Chennai as well as the Small and Tiny Industries Association. In Karnataka, Peenya Industries Association in Bengaluru, North Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association, Electronic City Industrial Association and the MSME Development Centre in Hubli have been extended the invite. Telangana is the main focus of promotion activies and accordingly Cherlapally Industries Association, Builders Association of India, Telangana Real Estate Development Association and Federation of Indian Micro and Small and Medium Enterprises have been visited.

As India becomes the top choice for doing business, we would need to tackle the cause and incidence of occupational accidents and ill health through visible leadership. OSH India through its shows provides a unique platform for safety professionals to network with industry stalwarts and gain knowledge on the latest developments in the space of Occupational Safety & Health. Over the last decade OSH India has received a tremendous response from industry professionals in India and has shown remarkable growth.

The Conference: Promoting a Safe and Healthy Environment at Workplace

The show also features a two-day conference to drive occupational safety and health as a priority for companies, while reiterating the significance and business benefits of investing in the health and safety of its workforce and in-turn, its own organization and the economy at large.

This year OSH India is also taking the initiative to spread awareness regarding the importance of occupational safety and health for working women, workplace ergonomics and employee health & efficiency.

Some of the key topics to be discussed as part of OSH India 2018 conference include:

• Challenges in Implementing Laws and legislation Related to OSH in India
• Redefining Mindsets in the Construction Industry Regarding OSH
• Why SMEs Need and Should Adopt the Best Practices in OSH
• Getting the Best Out of a Fire Safety Strategy
• OSH Best Practices For Controlling Debilitating Injuries to Workers
• How Employers and Employees Can Join Hands to Ensure a Safer Working Environment in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Log on to www.oshindia.com to find out more about OSH India Expo 2018.