2008 declared 'Year of Industrial Safety and Health'

With increasing dependency on the technological materials and mushrooming industries, the government considering the safety of employers’ has decided to celebrate the year 2008 as the “Year of Industrial Safety and Health.”

The declaration of the day coincides with the successful completion of sixty years of promulgation and implementation of the Factories Act, 1948.

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The decision was announced by the Minister for Labour and Employment Oscar Fernandes while addressing the national seminar on “Industrial Safety and Health—Vision 2020: Challenges and Strategies” organised by the Directorate General Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes (DGFASLI)

Ministry of Labour for protection of labours’ right

The highest government machinery for the protection of labours’ right is the Ministry of Labour which has the mandate to protect and safeguards the interests of workers in general and the deprived and marginal classes of the society in particular.

The ministry works for the protection and welfare of the labourers with specific goal to protection and promotion of interests of all the workers and improvement in the work culture and productivity.

In order to achieve these objectives the Ministry adopts various tools for implementation schemes/programmes relating to welfare, health, safety and social security of the workers and one of the foremost through enactment and enforcement of labour laws.

Stress management

The present working environment in industries is the cause of lot of physical, physiological, and mental stress and strain, which demands the quick resolution and preventing and controlling them among industrial workers.

To battling these stress and strain, the lifestyle management interventions, like physical exercises, yoga classes, meditation techniques and sports related activities should be carried out on regular basis as a part of stress management.

In order to make sure the full utilisation of these facilities should be made available in the premises of the industries as well as the colonies of the workers.

Safety measures

With the setting up of any industrial unit the safety aspects should be considered at the top most priority level.

The industry owner should develop a particular work culture conducive to safety measures. In fact, the safety measures as an integral component of the industry should be a part of working culture.

Training to prevent any mishappening/ mishap

Before employing a person for any particular job, the management should be ensured the people are well-trained and acquainted with machines and equipments.

Workers should be made a part of the system while working out safety plans for any industrial unit so that each and every person could know how to avoid mishaps.

The insurance agencies and industries are required to actively cooperate with each other in devising latest safety management system.

A technical division for Risk Management in industries should be created to aid risk insurance policy decisions and assisting industries in risk reduction with a view to reduce payable insurance premium. So far no such activity exists in the country.

Labourers are bound to their work under the Factories Act, 1948 which has been constantly on change with time-to-time comprehensive amendments in the Act.

Amendment to Factories Act, 1948

Section 66 of the Factories Act, 1948 further led restrictions on employment of women in some specific conditions.

No woman shall be required or allowed to work in any factory except between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. However, State government may by notification vary the time limits in respect of any factory or group or class or description of factories. But despite that no women shall be allowed to work after 10 pm.

Also, there shall be no change of shifts except after a weekly holiday or any other holiday.

This Act may be called the Factories (Amendment) Act, 2005.

New vision and strategies

This is the ripe time to redraft vision and formulate various strategies and measures to address various challenges on the issues relating to safety and health.

For this the concerted effort from the stakeholders as well as the government is required to meet the new challenges pertaining to labourers’ health and safety.