Workplace Safety Concerns: How Can We Prevent Tragic Accidents Like This One in Bangalore?

Team,

See the attached accident news which happened in Bangalore at CM building. Where is our safety culture?

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/12476363.cms

Regards,

So many incidents are taking place, and only 10% are covered by these newspapers. What about the rest of the cases? It's really a poor scenario.

Safety Concerns in India

In India, no one seems to care about safety. One of the many incidents of carelessness that I observed is outlined below; very few turned into fatalities:

One electrician, known to our neighbor, died while accidentally drilling into a live wire in a house. He was drilling holes for some work and accidentally pierced a live wire. He was so careless that he did not check whether there was any concealed wiring present. Also, in India, there is no proper diagram or rule for concealed wiring. Depending on each electrician, they have their own plans for concealed wiring, often not at 90-degree angles.

Common Carelessness by Electricians

Common carelessness by electricians includes speaking on mobile phones while working near high-tension wires, touching wires to check if they are live, removing rubber insulation with their teeth, and making careless joints without proper insulation.

Manual Scavenging Issues

Even sewage drains are cleaned manually here. In Chennai, in the past month, there have been around 5 cases reported in newspapers. Despite the High Court banning manual scavenging, no one follows the rules.

Electricity Board Practices

Electricity board electricians first climb the pole to check the problem and then send their counterpart to switch off the power. Many times, they are working on the line when a staff member accidentally switches on the power, resulting in instant death. They lack wireless communication or walkie-talkies for coordination, so they cannot warn others not to switch on the power.

Lack of Proper Safety Gear

Those who need gloves often do not wear them. Construction workers wear plastic hats instead of proper safety helmets, which can easily break upon impact. Additionally, many do not wear shoes, opting for chappals instead, and do not fully cover their bodies.

Safety in Small-Scale Industries

Many such instances of carelessness are found in numerous small-scale industries. Only big MNCs have strict safety codes. Once, when I accompanied my uncle to a mechanical engineering factory, I was speaking on my mobile phone and accidentally entered the shop floor area. I was immediately reprimanded by a supervisor who noticed my appearance and attire, warning me about the hazards of being on the shop floor while on the phone.

Thank you, Raghu, for sharing. Dipil is right that we do not come to know about 90% of such incidents. I collect clippings from two newspapers, and each year I write about all the events published in my Guj Magazine.

Welcome back! After a very long time, I have seen you on our forum. I am also from Chennai, as you said, 100% true. In Chennai, most companies never allow mobile phones inside the campus due to safety reasons. For example, Sundaram Clayton in Padi.

Nice to see you and happy to know you are watching our threads. Keep in touch.

Safety Concerns Highlighted by Australian Client

Recently, a client representative from Australia visited our factory. After observing the production process, he was impressed but very upset with the safety practices. Despite our belief that we were excelling in this aspect, he pointed out numerous unsafe and near-miss situations that surprised us. It became apparent that we were not even following 10% of the safety standards practiced in Australia, where zero tolerance is maintained for unsafe practices. He highlighted cases where top individuals were terminated due to safety violations.

Employee Attitude Towards Safety Equipment

While personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided, the employees seem indifferent towards it. For instance, gloves were discovered in pockets and even inside machines, reflecting a careless attitude. This attitude could be described as lethargic, and there are many other instances that could be highlighted.

I hope that people within the organization become more safety-conscious.

Awareness and training can help reduce accidents. As part of our CSR drive and Government-Public Partnership, we have trained about 1,200 students at ITI Nasik. Many hazards were communicated. Recently, we conducted training for housewives on domestic safety. Some practical exercises were conducted on how to replace fuse wires of adequate current capacity. This helps. The need for all of us is to reach maximum people.

Thanks & Regards,
Sudhir