“VISION ZERO ” : Pathways to healthy workculture & workforce management 

By : PARTHA ROY 

Safety and Security are catalyst to create healthy workculture as well as quality work force for any industry  which further facililate increase in productivity . 

A daylong International Conference on ” VISION ZERO: India and Malaysia” was organised by Bharat Chamber of Commerce (BCC) in collaboration with Indo – German Focal Point (DGUV) and PERKESO of Malaysia on 21st March 2024 in Kolkata and in hybrid mode to deliberate on evolving challenges in Occupational Safety and Hazard ( OSH )management  in various sectors of industries including MSMEs , government organisations,NGOs and  in every day in Life .

About 200 companies from Malaysia, India, Germany participated in the conference .

The Conference was addressed by Dr. Mohammed Azman Bin Dato’ Aziz Mohammed President International Social Security Association ( ISSA ) and Group Chief Executive Officer Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) , Malaysia , Dr. Stefan Hussy Director General German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) , Mr.Tom Reiner Regional Director , Indo German Chamber of Commerce, Kolkata, Dr. Lalit Ghabane Director General National Safety Council of India ,  Ir. Mohamad Fazli Bin Masri of Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) Malaysia ,Smt. Manisha Sarkar Bhattacharya Director State Labour Institute Government of West Bengal, Mr. Bimal Kanti Sahu Director Indo German Focal Point, Mr. Partha Pratim Mitra (Retd. IES ) ,Prof. Subhashish Sahu of University  of Kalyani  ,Mr. N. G. Khaitan President Bharat Chamber of Commerce,Mr. Naresh Pachisia Senior Vice President of BCC  and others.

The conference deliberated on various aspects of Occupational Safety and Hazard ( OSH ) issues across various  industries in India , as well as in Malaysia   and in several other countries and there connection with wellbeing of individual and/or  group of workers in any industry. 

Dr. Azlan Darus emphasized on  need for evolutionary transformation of work culture and working environments by incorporating safety measures in every steps of operations in any plant  or in any sphere of Life far beyond the work area. 

Dr. Azlan Darus stressed on the need to Invest in the people/workforce. He mentioned there exists reciprocal relationship between social security and worker’s industrial safety measures. He added no.of accident get reduced when machines are made safe .

The speakers emphasized the need to broaden understanding of horizons of  safety and security issues of any individual by incorporating physical & mental well being as well as well being of the family of the individual workers. 

Vision Zero concept originated and has drawn global attention when in 1997 Swedish Parliament introduced a “Vision Zero” policy that requires that fatalities and serious injuries on road traffic management are reduced to zero by 2020. Roads were redesigned  .This is a significant step-change in transport policy at the European level. 

Vision Zero concept stresses on elimination of fatalities and serious injuries in every sphere of Life. It calls for enhancement of safety measures to protect Life in any  situations. 

Vision Zero is fundamentally different way to approach to safety that eliminates fatalities and serious injuries in any business operation . 

Vision Zero flows from a Safe Systems approach to industry safety management in which human life and health is the first and foremost consideration when designing any safety network.

A safe system recognises that people are fragile and by nature will make mistakes, so puts layers of protection around them. All parts of this system must be strengthened in combination to multiply their protective effects so if one part fails, others will continue to protect people.

Seven Golden Rules for Vision Zero

1. Take leadership – demonstrate commitment

2. Identify hazards – control risks

3. Define targets – develop programmes

4. Ensure a safe and healthy system – be -well-organized

5. Ensure safety and health in machines equipment and workplaces

6. lmprove qualifications – develop competence

7. Invest in people – motivate by participation 

The conference concluded with call for escalating  efforts to promote Safety -Health- Wellbeing of people in every industry, in fact socio-cultural-economic system in every nation.

(This story has not been edited by News Mania staff and is published from a Media Release)