From Compliance to Culture: The Urgent Need for Electrical Safety in India's Manufacturing Industry

 

Between 2017 and 2020, accidents in India's factories led to an average of three deaths and 11 injuries every day. Even more troubling, electrical accidents account for nearly 13 electrocution fatalities daily, the highest in any country in the world. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) data further reveals that almost 40% of workplace fatalities are caused by electrical issues, a matter of grave concern.

 

Having said that, India's manufacturing sector is growing rapidly with an expected expansion of 5% in 2024 and an increase in its share to  25% of the national economy by 2025. Employment in the sector is also on the rise, increasing by 7.5% in 2022-23 alone. However, as manufacturing surges, it is putting more and more workers at risk. If India is to achieve its vision of becoming a global manufacturing hub, electrical safety must become front and centre.

 

Embracing Safety as a Foundational Element

Recognising this, Polycab, India’s largest manufacturer of wires and cables, in partnership with CNBC-TV18, has launched Infra Safety: Powering India's Electrical Future, a series of conclaves to address the urgent need for electrical safety in the country. After holding the first conclave of this pioneering initiative in Mumbai in December 2024, Polycab presented the second Infra Safety Conclave in Chennai on January 7, 2025.

 

The discussions focused on manufacturing safety with experts from diverse sectors sharing their valuable insights. They included Gopa Kumar S, President of the National Federation of Engineers for Electrical Safety, A Thanapal, Assistant District Officer, Tamil Nadu Fire 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 Corporation. They were joined by Polycab’s Executive Director Nikhil Jaisinghani and Executive President & Chief Business Officer Bhushan Sawhney.

 

The panelists emphasized the importance of safety standards, system audits, and reliable electrical infrastructure. The conclave also highlighted innovations such as IoT and advanced cabling solutions as the drivers of an electrically safer and more sustainable manufacturing future for India.

 

Prioritizing Electrical Safety

Electrical safety in manufacturing must be seen as a strategic priority, not just an afterthought, stated the panelists. While initiatives such as Make in India 2.0 and Aatmanirbhar Bharat have laid the foundation for industrial growth and advancement, it  is imperative for India’s manufacturing sector to turn its focus on the critical role that electrical safety will play in this progress.

 

Harish Bhardwaj, National Head, Industry Vertical, Polycab, highlighted the severity of electrical accidents in the country. He noted: "The statistics are clear. Electrical accidents claim more than 5,000 lives annually. And productivity losses from disruptive power can pull down revenues by 5-10%. These are not mere numbers; they represent the human and economic cost of safety lapses."

 

The path to a safer, more sustainable manufacturing future requires collective effort, however. This requires collaboration between the government, industry leaders, safety experts and companies, and is essential to drive change and create a culture of safety in the country’s workforce.

 

Infra-Safety: A Critical Imperative in Nation’s Progress Story

Pointing to India's growing attractiveness as a global manufacturing sector, which will be pivotal for the country's growth trajectory, Mr Bhardwaj noted: "Foreign direct investments in the country have grown substantially by about 69% over the last decade. Along with this, there is also a huge need for infrastructure growth, and the government has been investing significantly in this space."

 

At the same time, India’s manufacturing scale-up requires a matching scale-up in safety with the embrace of modern safety standards. "India is a great place to set up manufacturing," said Srivats Ram, Managing Director of Wheels India and Chairman, CII, Tamil Nadu. "But as we grow and become more competitive, it is essential to instil a safety culture in manufacturing to ensure we grow safely."

 

While India's competitive advantage lies in its large pool of skilled talent, by embedding safety and skill development into manufacturing practices, the country can build a safer, more efficient industry for long-term success.

 

From Reactive to Proactive

The conclave explored critical aspects of electrical safety in the Indian manufacturing sector, emphasizing the sector's preparedness to meet global safety standards, the challenges faced by manufacturers, and how these challenges could be turned into opportunities for growth and global competitiveness.

 

Chettinad Cement’s R A Krishnakumar highlighted a positive change in the sector’s approach to electrical safety. "Earlier, we had a reactive approach to safety, but we have become more proactive today," he noted.

 

While acknowledging this trend, R. Balakrishnan, VP & Head of MEP Design, L&T pointed out the challenges faced by MSMEs with cost constraints and the lack of skilled manpower acting as significant barriers. "The speed at which we adopt and practice safety measures will determine our global standing. However, for MSMEs, limited resources and awareness often hinder progress," he said.

 

Regulation and compliance

The Ministry of Heavy Industries' upcoming regulation, effective August 2025, aims to standardize Indian practices with global norms. While this regulation will cover over 50,000 types of machinery, smaller manufacturers may face challenges with compliance costs and timelines.

 

Placing the need for robust safety audits and regulations in the context of the country’s emergence as an export hub, Gopa Kumar S., President of the National Federation of Engineers for Electrical Safety, pointed out:  "When it comes to exports, a strong audit team often evaluates manufacturing facilities to ensure compliance with international requirements.”. Hence, the panelists urged the government to introduce subsidies and rewards for factories with exemplary safety records.

 

Another recurrent theme was the need to foster awareness of the importance of electrical safety. In a fireside chat, Bhushan Sawhney, Executive President & Chief Business Officer, Polycab, succinctly stated: “India needs to bring in a safety culture which is different from having procedures and processes. This means that when people do their daily grind, they think about the safest way to do things. Those who are from the manufacturing sector would have noticed a difference in how they go about things today compared to what they did, say, 10 years ago."

 

Mr Sawhney reiterated the importance of incentivizing safety in the manufacturing sector to boost awareness. “The government should reward industries and factories that prioritize and excel in safety measures. Creating awareness about the importance of safety is equally critical,” he urged. “A Surakshit Bharat can only be achieved when safety starts from the manufacturers,” he added.

 

Role of Automation, Cables, and Smart Technologies

This requires three-fold action, pointed out A. Thanapal, Gl Fire E, MI Fire E (UK), Assistant District Officer, Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Service:  "In Tamil Nadu, nearly 814 industries faced fire accidents, of which 502 were because of electric hazards. How can we evade this? Electrical safety is nothing but applying the 3 Es -- Engineering, education and enforcement."

 

India has a long way to go before it meets global manufacturing standards. Challenges like legacy machinery, outdated switchgear and low-quality components persist. However, innovations and technology can play a crucial role in bridging this gap. And the manufacturing sector can swiftly overhaul its safety measures by using IoT-enabled devices and advanced cables and wires to automate and transform its process control, averred Polycab’s representatives. These smart technologies can reduce electrical incidents, improve productivity, and create safer workplaces, aligning India’s factories with international benchmarks and boosting the country's manufacturing reputation.

 

Building a Culture of Electrical Safety in Manufacturing

While electrical safety is emerging as the foundation for global competitiveness in India’s rapidly advancing manufacturing landscape, every step in creating a robust safety culture requires collective effort — one that must be shaped by rigorous standards, open communication, and forward-thinking innovation.

 

According to Venkatesu C, Chairman of Electrical Safety at FSAI, it must all start with the basics of integrity testing. “Integrity tests ensure that not just cables but also the accessories used can withstand adverse conditions,” he explained. This principle forms the groundwork, ensuring that safety begins from the smallest components and is built upward.

 

However, safety is not just about the equipment, it’s also about empowering people. At FLSmidth Cement, safety has become a community effort, revealed its Head of Manufacturing, Krishnamoorthy Rathinavel. "We share information in the local language with all workers. Regular weekly meetings with blue-collar workers help. We have safety community meetings every month where we talk about improvements, initiatives and implementing a safety culture.”

 

R. Gobinath from Optimal MEP Consultants pointed to the pivotal role played by MEP experts in bridging technical challenges and practical realities. “Sometimes, consultants must take a firm stand. While codes exist, adapting them for clients ensures better understanding and avoids issues like recurring lithium accidents,” he reflected, highlighting the need to balance adherence and innovation.

 

The Infra-Safety Conclave ended with key insights from Nikhil Jaisinghani, Executive Director at Polycab. Talking about electrical catastrophes, he said, "Majority of the deaths in a fire accident take place because of smoke inhalation and the inability to move due to low visibility. We created a product called green-wire, mostly for residential applications. This product gives out white smoke (in layman terms), so you can see and move around. Today it has become the largest selling premium product in the country. But it was not easy. We had to do a lot of awareness campaigns to educate people about it".

 

Nikhil also stressed the need to fix challenges early-on when adopting new technologies. This helps avoid safety gaps and ensures steady progress. He also shared how Polycab is closely working with NSDC to skill and educate electricians about best practices when it comes to safety. "Safety is hygiene, not an expectation. It must always be present and non-negotiable in any circumstance."

                                  

As the Infra Safety campaign demonstrated, in the realm of manufacturing, electrical safety is not a luxury or an afterthought—it is a foundational element that must be integrated into every design, system, and protocol.