Mumbai, August 11, 2016: International Copper Association India (ICA India) as a part of its series of organising seminars on Electrical Safety across India, conducted a workshop to raise awareness and rectification measures about electrical hazards and importance of electrical safety in India. This workshop comes sixth in line after Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi, to promote Electrical Safety Practices through National Standards and Regulatory Provisions.

Electricity is an essential commodity that touches all spheres of our daily lives. The increasing necessity of enhanced productivity, efficiency and convenience has made its usage intense in terms of quality, quantity and maintenance. Regardless of good electrical and regulatory standards prevailing in India, the country still has a high record of accidents and mishaps caused due to electrical short circuit.

As per the National Crime Records Bureau’s report 2014, 11000 people died in the year 2014 due to electrocution and fire due to electrical short circuits. Electric defaults have been seen as the largest single reason for cause of building fires. The government of India has accorded high importance to this area. Unfortunately, poor practices, improper and weak installations, undersized and inferior quality of wires in the buildings have resulted in an increasing number of electrical accidents.

The workshop brought to light the need for sharing information and knowledge on international experience and the areas where our existing regulations and standards could be improved. The workshop was attended by various stalwarts from both public and private sector like Mr S R Bagde, Chief Electrical Inspector, Maharashtra, Rajkumar Singh, Director Technical, Schneider Electric, Sasikumar M, Head Electric, Chola MS Risk Services, R Natarajan, Executive Director, JEF Techno Solutions, Mr. Sanjeev Ranjan, Managing Director, International Copper Association India.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sanjeev Ranjan, Managing Director, International Copper Association India said, “ICA India has been enthusiastically involved in the promotion of safe wiring practices at urban and rural households. Electrical Safety is of highest importance during any electrical installation. Our various seminars and workshops are intended for various stakeholders looking to increase awareness of best practices in electrical wiring. We have been aggressively encouraging the key provisions in the National Standards for safe electrical installations and inspection of wiring installations at regular intervals to curtail fire accidents.”

India remains to be a consumption driven economy and to have speedy economic growth, it is significant to eradicate the burden on India’s infrastructure, which is affecting the economic growth. To implement this, the government has taken various positive initiatives to improve the energy requirements of the country. However, there is an utmost need and perseverance to resolve basic requirements for the right and efficient electrical infrastructure in India.

Though Government of India has bestowed high importance to electrical safety, unfortunately poor practices, inappropriate or weak installations, improper sizes and low-grade quality of wires in the buildings have resulted into number of electrical accidents, which are increasing every year.