Right Knowledge and Understanding of OSH Regulations is a Big Challenge

We spoke to Bharat Londhe, Head-Environment Health Safety at Piramal Pharma Solutions to understand his assessment about the current occupational safety and health scenario in India and how it compares to global standards, key challenges related to implementing safety regulations within a large organisation, what more the government needs to do to help improve OSH awareness, activities and training programs they undertake to improve worker safety in their organisation and his advice to OSH India to help further the cause of spreading awareness about safety in Indian organisations.

Interviewed by Adeesh Sharma

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

OSH awareness has increased and continues to increase in India. Entrepreneurs are supporting OSH initiatives and they feel organisations should sustain the OSH business. In fact, I could see most of the entrepreneurs expect businesses should sustain in future as well.

What are the key challenges related to implementing safety regulations within a large organisation?

I feel the right knowledge and understanding of regulations is the big challenge. Also, sometimes our regulations also create confusion because of the same point reflecting in different regulations. The mind set of people, reflected in their behaviour of chalta hai from top management to bottom is the biggest challenge.

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

The government should provide more clarity on OSH laws and provide clearly written OSH regulations. There shall be different outlets and online support to get enquiry for understanding regulations, as and when required. Certain things must be ensured and implemented at approval level as is the case with other countries. For instance, for Town planning, a lot of assessment needs to be done before approval is given for a particular project.

List the activities and training programs you undertake to improve worker safety in your organisation.

We do mandatory and need based worker safety training which is identified by the reporting manager and safety manager.

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?

Open the online enquiry and information support centre and develop some standardised safety guidelines for different organisations.