GEM Engserv Pvt. Ltd is an ISO 9001:2015 certified organization, certified by TUV India in accreditation with National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB).
GEM Engserv Pvt. Ltd is an ISO 9001:2015 certified organization, certified by TUV India in accreditation with National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB).
Mission 2025 Indian Construction Industry represents a comprehensive approach to modernize and transform the Indian construction industry, making it more sustainable, efficient, and technologically advanced. As per India Construction Industry Databook 2025: Market Size & Forecast by Value and Volume, Q1 2025 Update, the construction market in India is projected to grow by 11.2% annually, reaching INR 25.31 trillion by 2025. The robust growth observed between 2020-2024, with a CAGR of 14.2%, is set to continue. With a forecasted CAGR of 8.8% during 2025-2029, the sector’s value is expected to climb from INR 22.77 trillion in 2024 to about INR 39.10 trillion by the end of 2029.
The joint report of International Labour Organization (ILO), Employer’s Federation of India (EFI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) titled “Beyond Barriers and Biases – Engendering the Indian Construction Industry” estimates that the Indian Construction Industry contributes 9 per cent of GDP of India. The Indian construction sector employing approximately 71 million people, remains the 2nd largest employer after agriculture.
According to the latest ILO Report 2023 covering the year 2019, over 395 million workers worldwide sustained a non-fatal work injury. In addition, around 2.93 million workers died because of work-related diseases and accidents, an increase of more than 12 per cent compared to year 2000. Most of these work-related deaths, 2.6 million, were attributed to occupational diseases, while work accidents resulted in 330,000 deaths. Out of this, 460,260 total work-related fatalities including 73,615 fatal accidents are attributed to China. On other side, India accounted for 310,067 total work-related fatalities including 48,176 fatal accidents. This means, a staggering 36.9 % of total deaths worldwide on account of work-related fatal accidents are attributed to China (22.3%) & India (14.6%).
The construction industry has a higher fatality rate compared to many other sectors. In the US, the fatal injury rate is 9.6 per 100,000 workers. Globally, the average is around 4 fatalities per 100,000 workers. Researchgate.net shows a fatality rate of 0.22 per 1000 workers (22 per 100,000 workers) in the Indian construction sector. As per estimates, globally 17% of all fatalities at work (1 in every 6) are construction fatalities. Over 60,000 fatalities occur in construction sector every year. It translates into terrifying1 fatality in every 10 minutes.
Accidents (Fatal or non-fatal) have serious implications for the country, the company concerned and the victims & their families. China & India, the two emerging economies of the world are estimated to be losing on an average 5% of their respective GDP on account of all accidents. In contrast, Japan is losing only 1 % of its GDP due to accidents. That means for every 100 dollars of GDP, India and China is left with 95 dollars whereas Japan saves 99 dollars. This is truly a humongous loss for India. As an illustration, for years India’s expenditure on education has been stagnant at 2.9% of its GDP whereas it has been losing precious 5% of GDP on account of accidents. At company level, accidents force huge cost both direct and indirect. In some cases, accidents derail the project and eat away the crucial profit margin. For victims and their families, accidents jeopardize their life and support system pushing them into financial disasters.
Safety professionals in the Indian construction industry play a multifaceted and crucial role in safeguarding workers, ensuring compliance with regulations, and promoting a culture of safety across construction sites. Categorically, their roles include
In essence, safety professionals are critical in the Indian construction industry for preventing accidents, protecting worker well-being, ensuring legal compliance, fostering a strong safety culture, and ultimately contributing to the successful and safe completion of projects.
In principle and also legally, safety is line function. In Indian Construction Industry, however safety is largely understood as function of safety professionals. Hence, safety management in Indian Construction Industry is heavily depended on safety staffs. Given the trend, inclination and approach of construction industry, dependence on safety staffs will continue and increase in coming years.
The BOCW Rules 1998 prescribes two levels of “Safety Organization” of Construction Projects including Safety Officer (SO) and Chief Safety Officer (CSO). SO, reports to CSO who in turn directly operates under the supervision of Chief Executive Officer of the Project. Qualifications, and Duties of Safety Officers defined under the rule. Also, number of Safety Officers in reference to Building Workers prescribed under the rule. However, the rule is silent on Safety Manager and Safety Supervisor/Steward.
Over the years, a comprehensive safety organization has evolved in Indian Construction Industry beyond stipulation of BOCW Rule 1998. Globalization of construction industry, collaboration with foreign construction companies & contractors, exposure to worldwide best safety practices, execution of mega projects in India in collaboration with foreign entity and many other such factors paved way for this evolution. As a result, a three-tier safety organization as illustrated in Table-01 is commonly established in Indian Construction Industry.
Table-01: Three-Tier Safety Organization of Construction Industry | ||
Tier I | Project Safety Lead/Head | Functional Name |
Safety Manager [AM, DM, M. SM. DGM. GM] | Organizational Designation | |
Tier II | Segment Safety Lead | Functional Name |
Safety Officer/Safety Engineer | Organizational Designation | |
Tier III | Workfront Safety Lead | Functional Name |
Safety Supervisor/Safety Steward | Organizational Designation | |
The emerging contractual obligations require contractors to deploy 1 Safety Supervisor for 75-100 workers, 1 Safety Officer over 2-3 Safety Supervisors and 1 Safety Manager as Project Safety Lead. For a project having 1000 workers, minimum 10 Safety Supervisors, 3 Safety Officers and 1 Safety Manager will be deployed ideally. A total minimum 14 safety professionals will be deployed by the contractor concerned. In addition, client or PMC will be required to deploy their own safety staffs as per thumb rule of 1/3rd -1/4th of contractor’s total safety staffs at project. It amounts to 18 safety staffs at a project employing 1000 workers.
Currently, 71 million workforce is employed with Indian construction industry. Accordingly, 1.278 million (18000 per million*71milion] safety professionals are required. By 2029, construction industry will be employing 100 million workforce which will require 1.8 million safety professionals. There is thus an acute shortage of safety professionals in the country. Gem Engserv is actively pursuing the vision of providing skilled and certified professionals to the Indian construction Industry.
Watch out this space for details of Gems “Safety Professionals incubation Centre”
Do we have this number of skilled safety professionals? A million-dollar question that needs to be addressed at various levels by government, industry, university, educational institution and training institute.
Designed and developed offline Classroom Training Courses. Towards this, the Safety Professional Incubation Center (SPIC) is established at Head Office of GEM ENGSERV Pvt. Ltd. situated in Navi Mumbai.
SPIC is dedicated to empowering safety professionals through capability augmentation, value enrichment and efficiency enhancement. In pursuit of our resolve, we are launching the Series of “Safety Professional Empowerment Programs (SPEPs)” comprising of three distinct Training & Certification Programs:
Mr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, ex Corporate EHS Head, Adani Realty is the Architect of “Safety Professional Empowerment Programs (SPEPs) series.
Safety Supervisors Empowerment Programs (SSEP), the first program of the SPEPs Series, is being launched in August 2025 at the Safety Professional Incubation Center (SPIC). Two other programs of the SPEPs Series, namely SOEP and SMEP are under development and will be launched in the coming months.
Safety Supervisors Empowerment Program (SSEP) is conceived, designed and developed for working Safety Supervisors as well as for energetic and eligible individuals looking for the job opportunity in safety domain at entry level. SSEP is equally beneficial for the participants (safety supervisors) and their employers (current & prospective). Through SSEP, Safety Supervisors shall be empowered by
Duly trained, assessed and certified safety supervisors transformed into valued safety proponents are expected to become true saviours for their employers in their endeavours towards prevention of accidents. Specifically, the employers shall benefit by
Table-02: Eligibility Criteria for SSEP | ||
Eligibility Parameters | Fresher Candidates | Working Candidates |
Minimum Age | 18 Years | 18 Years |
Educational Qualifications | 10+2 (preferably science)/ ITI / Equivalent | 10+2 (preferably science)/ ITI / Equivalent |
Work Experience | Not applicable | Any years of experience |
English Language | Good at Reading & Writing in English | Good at Reading & Writing in English |
SSEP Course offers tangible and intangible benefits to the successful candidates. Tangible benefits include employment with GEM ENGSERV and its clients. Assisted employment (through referrals and skill assessment) constitutes intangible benefits. Data Bank of successful candidates shall be prepared and maintained by GEM for reference of potential employers all where in the country.
SSEP Course consists of 08 Modules, each Module of 3 Hours Duration. Hence, SSEP Course is of total 24 Hours Duration. The module consists of classroom training using standard presentation, audio-visual aids, case studies, exercises, simulation and series of tests. At the end of the course, there will be a written examination encompassing all 8 modules. Also, candidates shall be continuously assessed basis classroom exercise and homework on applications of the learning. The successful candidate shall be provided with the Marksheet and the Certificate of Competency.
Fee for SSEP is kept reasonable and affordable for the participants. Total Fee is INR 15,000 including INR 500 as Registration Fee. In addition, 10% discount is offered for group booking of 3 or more candidates by a company. Registration is open for SSEP. Eligible candidates shall be able to enrol online for SSEP by paying INR 500.
Captains, Corporate Safety Heads, and Safety Professionals of Indian Construction Industry are invited to participate in this initiative of ISOI & GEM by facilitating participation of their own safety supervisors and those of their contractors and sub-contractors.
For further queries, you may please connect with Mr. Shobhit Singh, Manager – Learning & Development, ISOI. Mobile: +91-9769004519, email: shobhit.singh@isoi.world.
GEM Engserv Private Ltd. , A-103, The Great Eastern Chamber, Plot No-28, Sector-11, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai 400614