Industrial Safety - In a different perspective.

 Industrial Safety - In a different perspective. 

‌The days started with a frustrating and disturbing news about incidences happening in and around Aurangabad industrial area. It's not even a month that a group of local self style so called "Dada" or "Bhai" leaders entered into a renowned industry and started beating the senior employees of  the company. There have been various news coverages post the happening. Few political leaders also expressed their concern and warned the concerned. However, the question remains as to why this is happening.  There are different schools of thoughts on this but fact remains nothing is an effective solution to tackle such situations.  There is a series of such nuisance in Aurangabad and the public remains as silent as they are on a burning water issue for decades.  They happily accept it and avoid commenting or initiating any action to overcome.  Lets not divert our attention from the main topic I am trying to bring on the discussion table.  This article is no way propagating any adverse agenda against it, however, we as a common man should be noting this seriously. At the same time, it's time for industries also to get along  strengthening the bond of togetherness across all domains, territories. 

With Covid the businesses have impacted a big way. As is employment has become a serious issue.  Except the manufacturing segments, everywhere there is a decline. Let's not consider IT as 75% of the total population is still working for home. Moreover, the IT market is growing even with the pandemic.  Here we are talking of a resource that is moving in and out for work who has to face lot of issues. The issues are related to overall safety of the employee and also of the industry they are working, as it is directly proportional. So the topic is Industrial Safety.

Inside the premises there are  100s of initiatives related to safety are spoken, implemented. It is a process safety, human safety and safety from all potential hazards arising out of any activity that is performed. Loads of funds are invested in such initiative as a planned annual budget. Even with this, there are certain untoward incidents take piace, which are more on human errors, negligence and very least out of any process safety.  These are handled systematically in designed safety protocols. But what about the incidences that are happening out of the premises while communicating to and fro work and even at times the external forces entering in the premises and creating nuisance. At times it's with a political motive or any other motives. There was an era wherein unions drove it very strongly, but in a longer run, they realised that it's a self loss by indulging into all such nuisance.  But by the time it's realised, damage has already happened and industries shut, owners investors ran away to a non reachable place. There are employees of these industries who are even fighting today for their PF and other dues. 

In last few decades with the matured  mind set union leaders have been a golden centre to resolve any untoward incident. However, with current strong political will, unreasonable ambition and momentary immediate benefits, this is going back to the same worst situation. This is a signal to all industries to listen to the alarm and make stronger plans to handle this systematically.

With the changed living style, cultural changes and industrial revolution , there are additional challenges that have been bothering. I will not go in detail of all of this, but few of which is daily movement to work, safety of female employees in all aspects,  required infrastructure to cater to all needs of the employee.  Currently there are mind boggling infrastructures are created wherein every small thing has been considered for an employee well being and safety. However, it's limited to a segment more in IT and not across all segments.  Manufacturing is one where  due to process safety and other challenges the scope has been limited to all of this, however, even some big giants are taking care. Question remains for a medium or small industries where affordability is a great challenge.  Though I do not have exact percentage of employees working out of these segments, but the number is definitely worth looking at. 

As mentioned above, with additional infrastructure there is a need to have additional service providers to be partnered to execute. This is another area where we need to look into depth. The companies we are partnering with also should be equally capable to handle all of the above. There are multiple brands operating in this segment, however, to avoid the premium rate to pay, local players are entering. This is where you lose your control over processes and create problems for their own. Not only this, there are also employees who play around here and for their short term benefits, they engage the service providers of their choice, ignoring other important aspects. So not only the management, but employee mind set also needs to be changed.  In my 30 years of service, came across many situations where in unreasonable relationship with the outsourced staff in different ways. Here again for tiny happiness and benefits employees try to remain closer to all such people and dividing the culture within parallel working groups.  At times we are over ignorant of them or we try to overdo - a balance here is missing.   This creates unnecessary groupism which not only hampers the productivity but affects the work culture a big way - a signal to enter external forces.  Another channel to get an entry through service providers and a competition within them. 

There are great initiatives by various industries associations to handle all such situations. But it's missing at some places. So it's time for industries to get together and stand tall against this. Have a common pool for monitoring local issues, safety issues any emergencies etc.  I have an example of HIA (Hinjewadi Industries Association) who are working effectively by having monitoring staff, local alertness of issues either rains, traffic, local festivals etc. They also have their own transport, safety committee, ambulance so on and so on. They also have a strong bond with local police and work together. Various initiatives like a buddy cop for female employees and all sorts of support as and when required.  I know it's kind of giving a only message, but time is pushing all of us hard to create a all round safe environment for employees like me and you.  Work with better and fully compliant brands for your service providers  let it be staffing, HK, Engineering, Security and what so ever. 

Let's work together for a better tomorrow.

Sharad Puranik

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