Archive: April 30, 2025

Compliance with Process Safety Regulations in India: A Guide for Industries

Mr. Vidhya Sagar Verma, Consulting Engineer, Sigma HSE India

Process safety, especially in high-risk industries such as chemicals, petrochemicals, oil and gas, and pharmaceuticals, is a critical aspect of operational integrity and risk management. In India, the importance of adhering to process safety regulations has gained considerable traction over the years, driven by both regulatory mandates and increasing awareness among stakeholders about the consequences of industrial accidents. This article serves as a guide for industries in India to understand and navigate the framework of process safety compliance.

The legislative backbone of process safety in India rests primarily on the Factories Act, 1948 and its various amendments. The Act mandates the safe handling of hazardous processes and outlines the responsibilities of factory occupiers. These are further detailed in the Schedule under Section 41C and the relevant State-level rules. It is also important to note that the upcoming implementation of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (OSHWCC) is expected to consolidate and modernize workplace safety legislation across India.

Complementing the Factories Act are the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules (MSIHC Rules), 1989, which lay down provisions for risk assessments, safety audits, and emergency preparedness. Sector-specific regulations such as the Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) guidelines, and stipulations from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), provide detailed compliance directives tailored to high-risk industries.

In recent years, Indian regulatory authorities and industries alike have emphasized the adoption of structured frameworks such as Process Hazard Analysis (PHA), Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP), and Layers of Protection Analysis (LOPA) to systematically identify and mitigate potential hazards. While these methodologies are not uniformly mandated across all sectors, they are often required during safety case reviews, major accident hazard facility assessments, and during regulatory inspections in high-risk environments. Companies that proactively implement these best practices position themselves as leaders in safety and operational excellence.

One of the key challenges in process safety compliance in India is the disparity in awareness and implementation between large corporations and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs). While larger companies often have dedicated safety departments and access to global expertise, SMEs may face limitations due to resource constraints and a lack of specialized knowledge. Bridging this gap requires sustained capacity building, training programs, and knowledge-sharing initiatives facilitated by industry associations, safety councils, and government bodies.

Another critical aspect of compliance is documentation and record-keeping. Leading regulatory bodies have begun emphasizing evidence-based inspections and audits, making it essential for companies to maintain thorough and up-to-date safety documentation. This includes risk assessment reports, safety audit findings, incident investigation records, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and training logs. A well-documented Process Safety Management (PSM) system not only supports compliance but also enhances operational transparency and accountability.

Periodic training and skill development are vital in nurturing a strong process safety culture. Regulations require that all personnel involved in hazardous processes receive adequate training, with regular refreshers. Commitment from top management, visible leadership, and embedding safety as a core organizational value are critical to ensuring that compliance is not just a box-ticking exercise but a deeply ingrained operational philosophy.

With India’s expanding industrial footprint and the emergence of new sectors such as green energy and specialty chemicals, the regulatory framework is gradually evolving. There is a growing trend of aligning with international safety standards, such as those from OSHA, NFPA, and ISO, particularly in export-oriented or multinational enterprises. Companies that anticipate these shifts and align their systems accordingly are better positioned for future audits, expansions, and global competitiveness.

In conclusion, compliance with process safety regulations in India is not merely about avoiding penalties or fulfilling legal obligations. It represents a holistic approach to safeguarding people, assets, and the environment. As industrial operations become more complex, proactive safety management will continue to be a vital differentiator for responsible and sustainable business growth. For Indian industries, staying ahead in process safety is both a regulatory necessity and a strategic imperative.

AppsFlyer’s 2025 Creative Report Reveals How AI and Emotion Drive Creative Performance

Bengaluru, India – April 30, 2025 – AppsFlyer today released the 2025 edition of its State of Creative Optimization report, an extensive analysis of creative performance trends and emotional drivers across mobile advertising. 

Drawing on 1.1 million ad creatives across 1,300 Gaming and Non-Gaming apps, the report reveals that overall creative winners still matter, but marketers are starting to diversify creative investment. In Gaming, the top 2% of creatives still drive a dominant 53% of total ad spend, while in Non-Gaming, that figure drops to 43%. This 10-point gap signals a shift toward broader creative testing, fatigue mitigation, and audience segmentation. 

Meanwhile, creative production is accelerating, especially outside of Gaming. High-spending Non-Gaming apps grew their creative output by 18% year-over-year, now averaging 2,365 variations per quarter and outpacing Gaming’s growth by 80%. Still, top Gaming apps lead in raw volume with 2,743 creatives per quarter, though mid-tier Gaming advertisers are producing less than they were a year ago, a trend that may put them at risk as competition heats up.

“We’re seeing a clear shift in creative strategy, with marketers not just scaling top performers, but scaling variety,” said Adam Smart, Director of Product Gaming at AppsFlyer. “In Gaming, high spenders still dominate production, with apps spending $7M+ per quarter to generate nearly 3x more creatives than those in the $4-$7M range. But in Non-Gaming, growth is more evenly distributed across tiers, suggesting creative scale is no longer just for the biggest players but that it’s becoming a strategic imperative for everyone.”

The report also reinforces the need to look beyond initial engagement or installs. If those new users don’t stay engaged, the creative for that audience may be falling short. For example, in Gaming, ads featuring music artists led to 50% higher user retention after seven days compared to those with movie stars, even though they received less than 10% of the celebrity budget. This underscores the importance of creative choices that not only capture attention, but also contribute to long-term impact.

Key findings from this year’s report:

• TV and Music stars outperform Movie stars, but receive less spend. In Gaming, TV personalities drove 2x the IPM (installs per 1,000 impressions which reflects how efficiently an ad drives installs) of movie stars, yet movie stars still captured over 80% of celebrity spend. In Gaming, influencer-led formats delivered up to 28% Day 7 retention (number of users who are still around a week after installs), compared to just 19% for movie stars.

• Emotionally resonant narratives outperform, but may be underused.
  Failure-to-Success stories in Hypercasual Gaming deliver 78% higher IPM while attracting 40% less spend compared to Pure Success on Social & Search media sources. Similarly, Challenge motivations in Casual and Competition-focused narratives in Mid-core Gaming show high retention with low spend.

• UGC Tutorials and Reviews drive stronger performance than Testimonials. Across categories like Finance, Social Media, and GenAI, educational and review-based UGC formats show significantly higher IPM and retention — yet testimonials dominate budget allocation.

• In both Finance and Social apps, tutorials and app review formats outperformed testimonials on key metrics. In Social, UGC (User Generated Content) tutorials delivered 45% higher IPM and 17% stronger Day 7 retention, despite receiving far less spend. In Finance, tutorial-style creatives drove 37% higher retention, underscoring the value of clear, relatable content that builds trust and drives long-term impact.

• Instant Gratification hooks lead in Finance, serious users win in Dating. Finance creatives promising immediate benefits drive stronger Day 7 retention via DSPs (+17%). In Dating, creatives tied to “Serious Relationship” motivations outperform “Casual” by 15%, despite lower coverage and budget.

• In GenAI apps, transformation hooks win attention but lose retention. In GenAI categories, Comparison-style creatives, such as before-and-after filters, drive strong initial performance, generating 3.68 IPM and capturing 40% of spend. But they also deliver the lowest Day 7 retention. UGC testimonials lead to 36% higher retention, reinforcing the importance of creative strategies that deliver value beyond the install.

• In Social, stories outperform, but barely get a budget. Storytelling Hooks, defined by narrative arcs and emotional twists, account for just 6% of spend in Social and Search, yet deliver the highest Day 7 retention at 8.4%. Social Proof hooks also show potential, offering a strong balance of installs and retention, particularly when tapping into trends.

Methodology

AppsFlyer’s 2025 State of Creative Optimization report is based on an anonymous aggregate of proprietary global data across 1.1 million video creative variations, from [1300] apps that ran a minimum of 200 creative variations each. The dataset spans both Gaming and Non-Gaming categories and reflects insights tied to [$2.4 billion] in ad spend between Q1 2024 and Q1 2025.  In addition, we chose to present the data at a global level, since we found that while creative trends varied significantly between categories, they were surprisingly consistent across GEOs.

Bollywood Actor Yashpal Sharma Inaugurates PHDCCI’s ‘Expression’ Art Show

Following the astounding success of its debut contemporary Indian art show, PHDCCI organized the 2nd edition of “Expression: A Contemporary Indian Art Show”.  The three day event starting from April 30th till May 2^nd, 2025 was inaugurated by Shri Yashpal Sharma, a renowned Bollywood actor at PHD House, New Delhi.

Actor Yashpal Sharma in his address congratulated PHDCCI for organizing such a meaningful event to promote artists and their work. He emphasized the importance of working on one’s uniqueness and individual talent. He added, while it is good to be inspired, one must not copy others; only by focusing on personal uniqueness and talent one can truly progress. Everyone has a spark within, and one should never consider oneself inferior.

The Actor further expressed the thought of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” and discussed that the bond of humanity is the greatest of all. He added that while some things may seem insignificant the value lies in time. He cited examples like Charlie Chaplin and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who turned their weaknesses into strengths by listening to their inner voices something many people tend to ignore.

Dr. Sachidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) congratulated the artists to have brought out their creativity to the world. “Every person is creative in some way, but it is the artists who have the courage to bring their creativity to the outside world”. He also took this opportunity to share his thoughts about the possible threats of AI. Our habits are becoming increasingly AI oriented.

While some paintings take months or even years to create, AI can produce them within minutes. Dr Joshi further emphasized the efforts of artists like Ravi Verma and Nandalal Ghosh, whose work took immense hard work and mental exercise to produce. The real threat he warned is not today but lies ahead, 5 to 20 years from now when everything will move to the cloud it will be difficult to identify original work. This, he said is a serious threat to artists.

He also stressed that it is the responsibility of artists and society to preserve our inherent creativity, talent, intellect, and motivation to create something new. He urged that artistic expression should become the voice and moral conscience of society, and we must all work to make society aware of the future dangers of a digital world.

Anuradha Goel, Chairperson, PHD Family Welfare Foundation, who is at the helm of PHD’s family welfare initiatives, including 25 centers across the country where around 5,000 students are being skilled and also being taught painting and art.  She expressed her hope to see those children growing up to become an artist and presenting their works here one day.  Ms Goel further added that while AI is useful, one should only use it as much as needed and must not become completely dependent on it.

Ms. Sonali Jain, Co-chair, PHDCCI Education Committee, and Vice Chairperson, Sumermal Jain Educational & Welfare Society (Regd.) expressed that literature, music and art hold great importance in a person’s life. She discussed that art is the only form of expression that promotes dialogue without conflict. The empathy and compassion that art brings cannot be brought by a bureaucrat or a politician. She added that art is the most humane way to build a community where people can relate to their culture and ethos by showcasing their work through this medium.

She further explained how PHDCCI has been working for the progress and development of industry for the past 120 years. She expressed hope that through this initiative, PHDCCI would continue to promote the art industry in its true essence and wished for the event to be a sounding success for the artists.

Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, CEO & Secretary General, PHDCCI exclaimed that PHDCCI is delighted to welcome Mr. Yashpal Sharma one of the finest actors of Hindi cinema. He added that the actor’s journey from stage to screen is inspiring and full of motivation especially for artists coming from tier 3 and 4 cities. He emphasized that the contribution of such talented artists will further promote the art community and boost their confidence.

Further he mentioned that PHDCCI which was established in 1905 had recently celebrated its 120th anniversary. He said that the presence of such a legendary artist at the art show would inspire many budding artists. He expressed hope that stalwarts like him would continue to support and motivate such initiatives by PHDCCI in the future as well.

Ms. Preeti Wadhwa Acclaimed Singer & Director, Virva International Pvt. Ltd., said that art is a language and a bond between human beings, behind every piece of art is an artist who is a storyteller. She applauded the initiative by PHDCCI to provide a platform to such artists and expressed that it would encourage them to continue their remarkable work. Lastly she called upon everyone to celebrate this beautiful expression of art. 

As one of India’s oldest and most respected industry bodies, PHDCCI has been a pillar of support for economic growth, industrial development, and policy advocacy for over 120 years. Now, it has extended its reach beyond commerce, lending its voice and support to the immense artistic and creative talent that lies untapped across the country.

A three day event, scheduled from April 30 to May 2, 2025, Expression is a vibrant and thought provoking contemporary Indian art show that celebrates the diverse perspectives and diverse range of paintings of emerging and established Indian artists. It showcases a curated selection of artworks that push boundaries, spark conversations, and inspire new ways of thinking. The exhibition aims to highlight the vibrant and dynamic nature of Indian art, exploring themes that reflect the country’s rich cultural heritage, social issues, and personal narratives. And provide them with a platform to reach a wider audience for their artworks thereby empowering them economically.

The second edition saw the participation of over 15 artists from all over the country including notable names like Ms. Kalyani, Ms. Abhipsa Pradhan, Ms. Sunita Lamba, Mr. JP Singh, Mr. Kedaram Viswanathan, Mr. Rangroop Ranjeet Singh, Mr. Ramchandra Pokale, Mr. Ramonkar, Ms. Shivraj Singh.   Through painting, sculpture and mixed media, the artists explore themes that resonate with modern India, such as identity, culture, social justice, and the human condition. The show provides a platform for artists to express themselves freely, sharing their unique visions and experiences with a wider audience.