The Pressing Want for Electrical Security in India’s Manufacturing Trade – Firstpost

Between 2017 and 2020, accidents in India’s factories led to a median of
three deaths and 11 accidents daily. Much more troubling, electrical accidents account for practically
13 electrocution fatalities day by day, the best in any nation on the earth. The Central Electrical energy Authority (CEA) information additional reveals that nearly
40% of office fatalities are attributable to electrical points, a matter of grave concern.

Having mentioned that, India’s manufacturing sector is rising quickly with an anticipated growth of 5% in 2024 and a rise in its share to  

25% of the nationwide financial system by 2025. Employment within the sector can be on the rise, growing by
7.5% in 2022-23 alone. Nonetheless, as manufacturing surges, it’s placing an increasing number of employees in danger. If India is to realize its imaginative and prescient of turning into a world manufacturing hub, electrical security should develop into entrance and centre.

Empowering Security in India’s Manufacturing Future

Recognising this, Polycab, India’s largest producer of wires and cables, in partnership with CNBC-TV18, has launched Infra Security: Powering India’s Electrical Future, a sequence of conclaves to handle the pressing want for electrical security within the nation. After holding the primary conclave of this pioneering initiative in Mumbai in December 2024, Polycab offered the second Infra Security Conclave in Chennai on January 7, 2025.

The discussions centered on manufacturing security with specialists from numerous sectors sharing their invaluable insights. They included Gopa Kumar S, President of the Nationwide Federation of Engineers for Electrical Security, A Thanapal, Assistant District Officer, Tamil Nadu Hearth and Rescue service, and R. Balakrishnan, VP & Head, MEP design, L&T. The manufacturing sector was represented by Srivats Ram, Managing Director, Wheels India and Chairman, CII, Tamil Nadu, and RA Krishnakumar, COO, Chettinad Cement Company. They have been joined by Polycab’s Government Director Nikhil Jaisinghani and Nationwide Head, Trade Vertical, Harish Bhardwaj.

The panelists emphasised the significance of security requirements, system audits, and dependable electrical infrastructure. The conclave additionally highlighted improvements corresponding to IoT and superior cabling options because the drivers of an electrically safer and extra sustainable manufacturing future for India.

Prioritizing Electrical Security

Electrical security in manufacturing should be seen as a strategic precedence, not simply an afterthought, acknowledged the panelists. Whereas initiatives corresponding to Make in India 2.0 and Aatmanirbhar Bharat have laid the muse for industrial progress and development, it’s crucial for India’s manufacturing sector to show its deal with the vital function {that electrical} security will play on this progress.

Harish Bhardwaj, Nationwide Head, Trade Vertical, Polycab, highlighted the severity {of electrical} accidents within the nation. He famous: “The statistics are clear. Electrical accidents declare greater than 5,000 lives yearly. And productiveness losses from disruptive energy can pull down revenues by 5-10%. These are usually not mere numbers; they symbolize the human and financial price of security lapses.”

The trail to a safer, extra sustainable manufacturing future requires collective effort, nevertheless. This requires collaboration between the federal government, business leaders, security specialists and firms, and is crucial to drive change and create a tradition of security within the nation’s workforce.

Strengthening Infra-Security in Manufacturing

Pointing to India’s rising attractiveness as a world manufacturing sector, which will probably be pivotal for the nation’s progress trajectory, Mr Bhardwaj famous: “International direct investments within the nation have grown considerably by about 69% over the past decade. Together with this, there’s additionally an enormous want for infrastructure progress, and the federal government has been investing considerably on this house.”

On the similar time, India’s manufacturing scale-up requires an identical scale-up in security with the embrace of recent security standards_. “India is a superb place to arrange manufacturing,”_ mentioned Srivats Ram, Managing Director of Wheels India and Chairman, CII, Tamil Nadu. “However as we develop and develop into extra aggressive, it’s important to instil a security tradition in manufacturing to make sure we develop safely.”

Whereas India’s aggressive benefit lies in its giant pool of expert expertise, by embedding security and talent improvement into manufacturing practices, the nation can construct a safer, extra environment friendly business for long-term success.

Electrical Security: Shaping India’s Manufacturing Future

The conclave explored vital elements {of electrical} security within the Indian manufacturing sector, emphasizing the sector’s preparedness to fulfill world security requirements, the challenges confronted by producers, and the way these challenges may very well be was alternatives for progress and world competitiveness.

Chettinad Cement’s R A Krishnakumar highlighted a constructive change within the sector’s strategy to electrical security. “Earlier, we had a reactive strategy to security, however we’ve got develop into extra proactive right this moment,” he famous.

Whereas acknowledging this pattern, R. Balakrishnan, VP & Head of MEP Design, L&T identified the challenges confronted by MSMEs with price constraints and the dearth of expert manpower appearing as vital obstacles. “The pace at which we undertake and follow security measures will decide our world standing. Nonetheless, for MSMEs, restricted assets and consciousness typically hinder progress,” he mentioned.

Regulation and compliance

The Ministry of Heavy Industries’ upcoming regulation, efficient August 2025, goals to standardize Indian practices with world norms. Whereas this regulation will cowl over
50,000 forms of equipment, smaller producers could face challenges with compliance prices and timelines.

Putting the necessity for sturdy security audits and laws within the context of the nation’s emergence as an export hub, Gopa Kumar S., President of the Nationwide Federation of Engineers for Electrical Security, identified:  “In relation to exports, a powerful audit group typically evaluates manufacturing amenities to make sure compliance with worldwide necessities.”. Therefore, the panelists urged the federal government to introduce subsidies and rewards for factories with exemplary security information.

One other recurrent theme was the necessity to foster consciousness of the significance {of electrical} security. In a hearth chat, Bhushan Sawhney, Government President & Chief Enterprise Officer, Polycab, succinctly acknowledged: “India wants to herald a security tradition which is totally different from having procedures and processes. Because of this when individuals do their day by day grind, they give thought to the most secure solution to do issues. Those that are from the manufacturing sector would have seen a distinction in how they go about issues right this moment in comparison with what they did, say, 10 years in the past.”

Mr Sawhney reiterated the significance of incentivizing security within the manufacturing sector to spice up consciousness. “The federal government ought to reward industries and factories that prioritize and excel in security measures. Creating consciousness in regards to the significance of security is equally vital,” he urged. “A Surakshit Bharat can solely be achieved when security begins from the producers,” he added.

Position of Automation, Cables, and Sensible Applied sciences

This requires three-fold motion, identified A. Thanapal, Gl Hearth E, MI Hearth E (UK), Assistant District Officer, Tamil Nadu Hearth and Rescue Service:  “In Tamil Nadu, practically 814 industries confronted fireplace accidents, of which 502 have been due to electrical hazards. How can we evade this? Electrical security is nothing however making use of the three Es – Engineering, schooling and enforcement.”

India has a protracted solution to go earlier than it meets world manufacturing requirements. Challenges like legacy equipment, outdated switchgear and low-quality elements persist. Nonetheless, improvements and expertise can play an important function in bridging this hole. And the manufacturing sector can swiftly overhaul its security measures by utilizing IoT-enabled gadgets and superior cables and wires to automate and remodel its course of management, averred Polycab’s representatives. These sensible applied sciences can cut back electrical incidents, enhance productiveness, and create safer workplaces, aligning India’s factories with worldwide benchmarks and boosting the nation’s manufacturing popularity.

Constructing a Tradition of Electrical Security in Manufacturing

Whereas electrical security is rising as the muse for world competitiveness in India’s quickly advancing manufacturing panorama, each step in creating a sturdy security tradition requires collective effort — one which should be formed by rigorous requirements, open communication, and forward-thinking innovation.

In response to Venkatesu C, Chairman of Electrical Security at FSAI, it should all begin with the fundamentals of integrity testing. “Integrity checks be sure that not simply cables but in addition the equipment used can stand up to hostile circumstances,” he defined. This precept varieties the groundwork, guaranteeing that security begins from the smallest elements and is constructed upward.

Nonetheless, security is not only in regards to the gear, it’s additionally about empowering individuals. At FLSmidth Cement, security has develop into a neighborhood effort, revealed its Head of Manufacturing, Krishnamoorthy Rathinavel. “We share data within the native language with all employees. Common weekly conferences with blue-collar employees assist. We’ve security neighborhood conferences each month the place we speak about enhancements, initiatives and implementing a security tradition.”

Gobinath from Optimum MEP Consultants pointed to the pivotal function performed by MEP specialists in bridging technical challenges and sensible realities. “Typically, consultants should take a agency stand. Whereas codes exist, adapting them for purchasers ensures higher understanding and avoids points like recurring lithium accidents,” he mirrored, highlighting the necessity to stability adherence and innovation.

The dialogue took a major flip with insights from Nikhil Jaisinghani, Government Director at Polycab,

Mr Jaisinghani additionally underscored the significance of addressing challenges as industries undertake new applied sciences. Proactively fixing these points is vital to stop security lapses and sustaining progress. By adopting electrical security measures, India is not going to simply enhance security but in addition construct its popularity as a world manufacturing hub. As Mr Jaisinghani aptly acknowledged: “Security is hygiene. It isn’t one thing you anticipate; it’s one thing that’s there, must be there, and there must be completely no query of it.”

Because the Infra Security marketing campaign demonstrated, within the realm of producing, electrical security is just not a luxurious or an afterthought—it’s a foundational component that should be built-in into each design, system, and protocol.