Environment Health and Safety Policy

In India, Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) policies are crucial for businesses to ensure compliance with national regulations, protect their workforce and contribute to environmental sustainability. These policies are often driven by a combination of legal requirements, ethical considerations and a commitment to corporate social responsibility.

Key Components of EHS Policy:

While specific EHS policies vary from organization to organization based on their industry, size and operations, some common components are consistently found:

Commitment from Leadership: A strong EHS policy starts with a clear statement of commitment from top management. This demonstrates that EHS is a core value and not just a regulatory obligation.

Compliance with Laws and Regulations:

• Environmental Protection Act, 1986: This is the umbrella legislation for environmental protection in India, addressing pollution control for water, air, and soil.

• The Factories Act, 1948: This act focuses on safety, health and welfare of workers in factories. State wise factory rules are also established and in existence.

• Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020: This code consolidates and amends laws regulating occupational safety, health, and working conditions.

• Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

• Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

• Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016

• Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996

• Various other acts and rules related to specific industries (e.g., Mines Act, Boilers Act, Explosives Act, Electricity Act, etc.).

Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment (HIRA):

• Systematic identification of potential hazards in the workplace and environment.

• Evaluation of the risks associated with these hazards.

• Implementation of control measures to eliminate or mitigate risks (e.g., engineering controls, administrative controls, personal protective equipment - PPE).

• This often involves methodologies like Job Safety Analysis (JSA), Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment (HIRA), and Process Hazard Analysis (PHA).

• Defined Roles and Responsibilities: Clearly outlining EHS responsibilities for all levels of the organization, from top management to individual employees and contractors.

Training and Awareness:

• Providing appropriate EHS training to all employees, contractors, and visitors.

• Promoting a strong safety culture through continuous awareness programs.

• Training on emergency procedures, safe work practices, and the use of PPE.

Emergency Preparedness and Response:

• Developing and implementing clear emergency protocols (e.g., fire, chemical spills, natural disasters).

• Conducting regular mock drills and evacuation programs.

• Ensuring availability of necessary emergency equipment and resources.

Waste Management:

• Minimizing waste generation (3R - reduce, reuse, recycle).

• Proper segregation, handling, storage and disposal of all types of waste, especially hazardous waste.

• Efforts towards achieving "zero discharge" where feasible.

Resource Conservation:

• Promoting efficient use of natural resources like water and energy.

• Exploring and implementing renewable energy sources.

Incident Reporting and Investigation:

• Establishing a system for reporting all accidents, near misses and environmental incidents.

• Thorough investigation of incidents to identify root causes and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).

• Learning from incidents to prevent recurrence.

Monitoring, Auditing and Review:

• Regular monitoring of EHS performance against defined metrics.

• Conducting internal and external EHS audits to ensure compliance and identify areas for improvement.

• Periodic review of the EHS policy (at least once in a year or as and when necessary ) and management system by leadership to ensure its continued suitability and effectiveness.

Continuous Improvement: A commitment to continuously improve EHS performance through established management systems (e.g., ISO 14001 for Environment Management and ISO 45001 - formerly OHSAS 18001 - for Occupational Health and Safety Management)

Stakeholder Engagement: Encouraging communication and collaboration with employees, local communities, suppliers, and other stakeholders on EHS - related issues.

Essentially, EHS policy in India reflects a holistic approach to managing the interaction between business operations and the environment, while prioritizing the well-being and safety of all individuals involved.