Critical Challenges in Workplace Safety and Health

At the OSH India 2025 event held at NESCO, Mumbai, India's leading platform on occupational safety and health, The country's top industry leaders, safety professionals, and technology providers came together to discuss a larger truth, that safety is no longer an obligation, but a moral and operational priority defining the future of Indian industry.

- Sahil Kesari

While regulations continue to evolve, the real shift is happening on the ground, in how organizations view accountability, leadership, and the mental wellbeing of their workforce. Whether it's an automotive plant in Pune, a logistics warehouse in Nagpur, or a refinery on the western coast, the message across OSH India 2025 was clear: safety must evolve into culture.

Chief Minister of Goa Dr. Pramod Sawant, addressing the delegates, emphasized that occupational safety isn't just about following guidelines. As India accelerates industrial growth, the demand for sustainable, technology-integrated, and human-centered safety systems is stronger than ever.

Culture, Commitment, and Human Factor

The panel on Critical Challenges in Workplace Safety and Health drew diverse insights from manufacturing, logistics, and heavy industries. Experts noted that India has made progress in aligning with global safety benchmarks, but the real test lies in implementation, especially in the auto component manufacturing sector, where fast-paced production often overshadows preventive safety culture.

Speakers agreed that despite awareness, safety in many units remains checklist-driven. The panel stressed that psychological safety, the ability of workers to speak up about risks, is as crucial as PPE and SOPs.

This evolving mindset marks a departure from slogans to substance. Leadership involvement, continuous training, and transparent communication were identified as the backbone of safety transformation. Another key theme was mental health. Experts highlighted that fatigue, emotional stress, and mental burnout are silent disruptors of workplace safety.