India’s construction industry is too lax about following safety norms

Contributed by Hemant Sethi, Country Head India, British Safety Council India Although agriculture is the main contributor to the Indian economy, the construction industry is the second largest employer and contributor. It is also one of the country’s biggest job providers which relies heavily on unorganised labour. As India experiences a rise in incomes and growth of its urban areas, the construction industry has also witnessed a major boom in the recent years. Unfortunately, construction in India has some of the world’s worst safety standards. Every year thousands of workers fall to their deaths, are electrocuted or buried under rubble, making construction the deadliest sector in India. Industry’s research has shown that there are on an average 38 fatal accidents a day. They include falls from height, falling walls, electrocutions and scaffolding. They are accountable for one-in-four deaths of construction workers in India. This situation is in sharp contrast to that of many other countries, particularly in Europe, where health and safety laws are firmly embedded in the legislative system and industrial practice. In Britain, in 2017/2018, there were 147 fatalities overall (source: Health and Safety Executive). In India, workplace deaths are 20 times higher than in the UK, which suggests that India could learn valuable lessons from Britain where the health and safety record of the construction industry has significantly improved in recent years. The primary set of regulations covering the management of health, safety and welfare risks in construction are the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). The British Safety Council’s Construction Safety guide, which incorporates advice from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), demonstrates that it is possible to carry out construction work safely, by planning the work so the risks are properly managed from start to finish, by appointing the right people for the right jobs at the right time, and making sure everyone has the necessary equipment, information, training and supervision. In India, construction industry workers receive very little training, mainly because their employers know that they can be easily replaced. Construction is often the last choice for many daily wage workers because the working conditions in the sector are very difficult. Contractors do not invest in their training and safety because they consider such workers as temporary labour force. Meanwhile, under the health and safety law in countries like the UK, employers have a legal duty to protect employees from harm and stress at work by conducting risk assessments and acting on them. If a risk is identified, steps must be taken to remove or reduce it as far as it is reasonably practical. In addition to fatal accidents, construction industry workers in India are also exposed to risks from occupational diseases, such as dermatitis, asbestosis, silicosis, muscular skeletal disorder and respiratory diseases etc which could lead to disability and death. These could be avoided or reduced if there are enough medical professionals who are experts in occupation disease, which is not the case in India. Occupational health is not taught widely in medical schools in India. There is just one three-month occupational diseases course in the country which was introduced after the Bhopal gas disaster. So far, 2,800 doctors have taken up the course, according to available statistics. There are just four Employees State Insurance (ESI) centres for occupational diseases in India. In contrast to this, in the UK, employers are required under laws such as the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2012 (COSHH) and the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAW) to protect their employees and others from the risk of exposure to hazardous substances. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 also place a specific duty on employers to assess and eliminate or adequately control the risk of injury from lifting, carrying and handling loads. Furthermore, in India, there is no requirement to report accidents and ill health in many industry sectors. Hence, there are concerns that the official statistics are seriously under-reported. Also, there is poor incentive structure for health and safety function resulting in apathy of stakeholders and the ‘your safety is your problem’ attitude. Meanwhile, in the UK, employers must consult with their employees, or their representatives, while taking any decisions concerning their health and safety. In comparison, in India there is just one factory inspector for 506 registered factories and many employers do not show enough concern in for workers’ safety. Organisations like the British Safety Council in India aim to challenge traditional views and approaches, and support employers in adopting practices which better safeguard the health and safety of their workers. The organisation has been working with local companies in India to bring about a culture change regarding workplace health, safety and wellbeing. Although legislation is very important for bringing about this change, such issues like leadership are essential for introducing and embedding it. Since opening its Indian office in Mumbai in 2017, the British Safety Council has been promoting the business case of the health and safety, demonstrating that commitment to health and safety not only saves lives but it also gives companies a competitive business advantage in the modern world.