South Asia’s largest trade show for Occupational Safety & Health industry in Mumbai by UBM India
by Suman Gupta
Mumbai, November, 2018: UBM India, India’s leading exhibition organizer will be hosting the 7th edition of OSH India, South Asia’s largest trade show in the Occupational Safety and Health industry in the business hub of Mumbai. Slated for the 29th and 30th November 2018 at – Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, the safety show will bring together internationally renowned exhibitors, consultants, business experts and key government officials under one roof, to discuss global best practices and seek solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in the field of workplace safety and health.
OSH India is the country’s definitive annual exhibition for the safety industry that attracts over 120 exhibitors worldwide and facilitates ways to incorporate best practises at the workplace, especially to promote health and safety within it. The expo is supported by Directorate of Industrial Safety & Health (DISH), Government of Maharashtra, Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA); British Safety Council (BSC), International Power Access Federation, Indian Society of Ergonomics (ISE), MRO Association of India, Safety Appliances Manufacturers Association (SAMA), Taloja Industrial Association and Thane Manufacturer Association.
Introducing and implementing best OSH practices is the need of the hour through a number of appropriate partnerships, community building efforts and channels. As per industry reports, 75 percent of the global workforce lives in the third world countries with more than 125 million workers being victims of occupational accidents every year. As a big chunk of the population belongs to the working age group, organisations need to look at the safety and health along with emotional well-being of these employees on priority to retain the best of talent and ensure good productivity. Companies in manufacturing and allied sectors such as automobile, oil and gas, construction etc. in particular are becoming aware of occupational hazards and are working towards creating a safer working environment. Governments are emphasising on developing infrastructure and providing resources centred on workplace safety, coupled with increasing global investments.
Despite a greater focus on occupational safety and health over the past few years, there is still inadequate education at various levels and public awareness is still absent, as managements and workforce don’t always place safety as a top priority. UBM India’s OSH India is geared to filling this vital gap.
The expo aims to bring together renowned Indian and International exhibitors, consultants, business experts and key government officials on an industry platform to exchange global best practices and seek solutions for challenges pertaining to workplace safety and health. OSH India will be visited by professionals such as Safety Managers, Consultants, personnel from Defence Establishments, Disaster Management Experts, Distributors and Manufacturers of Health & Safety Products, Electrical Contracting/ Engineers, Facility Managers, Logistics Professionals, Municipal Authorities, System Integrators and Town Planners from across India and global market.
OSH India will include an Innovation Zone which will be a platform for exhibitors to promote and showcase innovative products that will benefit the occupational safety and health industry. The most innovative products /services or technology will also have a chance to win ‘Best Product Innovation Award’ which will be presented to the winner onsite. In addition to this, the expo will also showcase product launches and an IPAF class room theatre.
The show will see participation of various prominent players of the industry which include, Acme Safetywears Limited, Bata India Limited, British Safety Council, Cortina China Limited, Draeger Safety India Pvt Ltd, E.I. Dupont India Pvt Ltd, Fall Arrest Systems & Technologies Pvt Ltd, Godrej Interio, Highfield International, ID Overseas Private Limited, Indomax, Joseph Leslie & Co. LLP, Kaizen India, Karam Industries, Marvel Gloves, Midas Safety Pvt. Ltd, Narayana Hrudayala Limited (Narayana Health), NEBOSH, Oshkosh India Private Limited (JLG), Prolite Autoglo Limited, Saurya HSE Pvt Ltds, Superhouse Limited, Teijin India Pvt Limited, TATA Communications Limited, Udyogi International Pvt Ltd, Unicare Emergency Equipment Pvt Ltd, Uviraj Global (P) Ltd, Venus Safety & Health Pvt Ltd, Youngwoo Ind. Co. Ltd. and Black & Decker among others. This year, the show will have a presence of over 150 brands and will also see international participation from countries such as USA, China, UK, Sri Lanka, Japan, Korea, Germany, Ireland, Middle East and Malaysia.
OSH India has been consistently growing in size and depth, attracting industry leaders and key partners such as ‘Innovation Zone Partner’ – Amazon; ‘VIP Partner’ – Jayco; ‘Gold Partners’ – Acme Safetywear and Venus Safety; ‘Silver Partner’ – Atlas Protective; ‘Registration Partner’ – Karam; ‘Lanyard Partner’ – Allen Cooper (Superhouse); ‘Visitor Bag & Cafeteria Partner’ – Black & Decker; ‘Badge Partner’ – Uviraj Global; ‘Safe Escape Partner’ – Prolife Autoglo; ‘Confined Space Entry Partner’ – Drager; ‘Technology Partner’ – Tata Communications; ‘Safety Footgear Partner’ – Sketchers; ‘Health Partner’ – Narayana Hospital; ‘Associate Conference Partner’ – Youngwoo; ‘Conference Session Partners’ – Safestart, Godrej Interio and FALL Arrest System & Technologies.
Speaking on the announcement of OSH India 2018, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, UBM India said, “Work plays a central role in people’s lives, since most professionals spend at least eight to ten hours a day in the workplace, be it an office, factory, etc. Therefore, enhancing the safety and well-being of employees is a key concern for all organizations in order to secure workplace productivity and to enhance the quality of life as a whole. An Increasing number of casualties at unsafe workspaces have drawn attention to the importance of occupational health & safety compliances amongst companies globally. The number of fatal accidents is much higher in developing countries than in industrialized ones. This difference is primarily due to better health and safety programmes, improved first-aid and medical facilities in the industrialized countries, and active participation of employers and workers in the decision-making process on health and safety issues. OSH India 2018, addresses the pressing need for raising OSH awareness and standards by providing tangible solutions to organizations to meet and network with suppliers and service providers from across the world that will showcase their innovations and knowledge amidst a vastly untapped Indian market.”
“This is an industry that banks on newer and improved technological innovations on a constant basis. Naturally, there is an immense growth potential along with the learning and networking opportunities for suppliers and service providers at these expos,” he further added.
One of the highlights of the expo is the two –day power packed OSH conference which aims to share and ideate on global best practices with industry delegates. For the 1sttime in the history of OSH Expo there will be discussions pertaining to the OSH best practices in MRO in civil aviation & Ergonomics. The key sessions and panel discussions at the conference will be attended by industry experts from across the country and leading international organizations. Topics of discussion at the conference include: ‘Challenges in Implementing Laws and Legislation Related to OSH in the Construction Industry’; ‘Implementing OSH Best Practices in the Construction Industry’; ‘Changing the Mindsets in Cement Manufacturing Regarding OSH’; ‘Accident Prevention: Risk Assessment and Control Strategies’; ‘How Implementing the Right OSH Strategy Benefits Organisations’; ‘Safety Best Practices for a Renewable Power Generation Facility’; ‘Accident Prevention: Behavioural Based Safety, going Beyond Risk Assessment & Control Strategies’; ‘The Role and Need for Accreditation in HSE’; ‘Battling Occupational Hazards to Workers’ Health’; ‘Occupational Health & Safety in the Unorganised Sector’; ‘Different Categories of Occupational Hazards that Industrial Hygienists Must Identify and Control’; ‘Ensuring a Safe and Hygienic Working Environment in the Pharmaceutical Industry’; ‘Changing Workspaces and their Impact on Employee Health’; ‘Standardising Industry Policies for Handling Hazardous Incidents’; and ‘From Safety Compliance to Culture in Safety’ amongst others.
Distinguished speakers at the conference include Shri H.R Jagannath, CEO, Air India Engineering Services Ltd; Mr. Bharat Londhe, Head EHS, Primal Group; Mr. Arvind Bodhankar, Corporate Head – Health Safety Environment & Sustainability, Tata Motors Ltd; Mr. Pankaj Singh, Director – Health & Safety, ACC Ltd (LafargeHolcim Group); Mr. Durgannad Thakur, General Manager & Head – Safety, Vodafone Idea Ltd; Mr. Gaurang Baxi, Chief Safety Officer, Tata Power; Mr. Sunil Bailwar, Head – Safety, Hindalco; Mr. Abhay Pathak, Team Lead Assessir EHS, Quality Council of India – National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB); Mr. B. Sandhya, Scientist D, Bureau of Indian Standards; Dr. Chandran T., Vice President – Head HSE, Reliance Project Management Group; Mr. Thakur Pherwani, Head EHS, Amazon India; Anirban Chatterjee, Assistant Vice President – EHS, Yes Bank; Mr. Aniruddha Agnihotri, Environmental Sustainability, Health & Safety, Tata Consultancy Services; Mr. Jay Mukhopadhyay, Chief Manager – HSE, ACC Ltd; Mr. Devesh Ghuley, Head – Safety, Tata Housing Development Co; Mr. Birendra Verma, Jt. President – Safety, Mr. Aditya Birla Group; Dr. Hasit Dangi, Vice President – Operations & QA, National Peroxide Ltd; Mr. Suvek Salanka, Additional General Manager – Safety, Peninsula Land Ltd and Mr. Amar Dalvi, General Manager amongst others.
Day 1 will also see a presentation on the Future of Work and Risk by Mr. Mike Robinson, CEO, British Safety Council. Giving his industry perspective, Mr. Mike Robinson said, “Work and workplaces are changing faster than ever. The new, rapidly evolving technology is both our ally and our foe. Simultaneously, it gives us more and less control of how we work. It allows us to work anyplace and anytime and cooperate with others across countries and continents, but it makes jobs and people redundant. The labour market has to accommodate both the requirements of older workers and the expectations of the X and Y generations who demand different work patterns. At the same time, companies face new demands as a result of environmental changes and regulatory pressures.”
“I’ll be looking at the implications of these changes and the risks they will bring to the health, wellbeing and safety of employees. I will also offer some advice on how businesses can prepare for them. Occupational Safety & Health is a show which is aligned with our vision of ensuring workplace safety hence, it is a perfect platform for us to share knowledge, build relations with key industry players and bring a significant change in the field of Occupational Safety and Health” Mr. Robinson added.
OSH India 2018 will also witness the ‘OSH India Awards 2018’ which is open to Indian operating businesses, organizations, alliances and individuals in the public or private sector with a workplace health and safety initiative. This year, OSH Awards received a total of 120 nominations from across industry verticals that include construction, pharma, chemicals, FMCG, BPO, Banking, refineries, oil & gas, automobiles, logistics & transport, power, SME’s, Agro, Healthcare, food, iron & steel, IT, Rubber industry and more. These Awards have been instrumental in building competitiveness among applicants, in encouraging innovation and have been able to promote and establish thought leadership within the Occupational Safety and Health industry in India. The Awards Night slated for 29 November will be a celebration of luminaries and forerunners of the industry getting together, over a night of insights, networking, glamour and entertainment.
Industry Speaks and Launches: Mr. Arpan Jani, Chief Marketing Officer, Venus Safety & Health Pvt. Ltd. said, “In India, Occupational Safety & Health Industry is at a very nascent stage compared with global standards. However, the industry is currently growing at a rapid pace & catching up with international trends. As a manufacturer, we see a huge growth potential in years to come for the Indian safety industry. Government initiatives to build up infrastructure will play a pivotal role in propelling the demand for safety equipments & creating a big opportunity for manufacturers. We believe that OSH India will help us to strengthen our relationship with existing & potential customers. It is a perfect platform for us to not only launch our new product – ‘Head Mounted Powered Air Purifying Respirator’ but also showcase our existing products. Indian customers are welcoming new technologies and hence, we see a bright future for Occupational Safety & Health Industry in our country”
Mr. KS Chari, Managing Director, Ion Science India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Ion Science Limited, UK is well known brand in PID technology and VOC monitors, that have varied application in Industry with respect to Occupational Safety and Health. Showcasing our product offerings at OSH India 2018 will be a big step in establishing Ion Science India in the Indian market-place allowing us to reach close to 70% of our customers directly and offer an added level of assurance regarding product quality and commitment to service. It will also help us come in direct contact with the major refinery and petrochemical customers, which prefer direct contact with instrument manufacturers. Additionally, it will be a major step towards developing relationships with regional sub-dealers, which will happen in due course”.
