As per the National Policy on Safety, Health and Environment at Work Place, the government is committed to regulating economic activities to manage safety and health risks at workplaces and ensure safe working conditions for all. The policy aims to not only eliminate work-related injuries and diseases but also enhance employee well-being and societal development. Prevention through education, training, and information exchange is essential. Various laws like the Factories Act, 1948, Mines Act 1952, and Dock Workers' Act 1986 provide provisions for occupational health and safety in different sectors. The government is committed to reviewing policies and legislation and improving enforcement to achieve higher safety, health and environmental performance at workplaces.

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Safety
andhealthin
industry
RajuAsirvatham
ccordingto the EuropeanSun'e1'of brking
Conditions(ESWC) of 2000, construction
workersreportanaverage
of7.3 daysofillness
absence
from work duringtheyear,of which theyrepoft
that 32 Eoare dueto accidentsat work, 28 Voto non-
accidentalwork-related health problems and40 7oto
non-work-relatedhealthproblems.If appliedto the 12.7
million work forcesin construction,thesefiguresmean
that 30 million days are lost eachyear becauseof
accidents
atwork and26million daysdueto otherwork-
relatedhealthproblems.
Yes,job safetyandhealthaddvalueto theworkplace
andhelpreduceinjuriesandillnesses
of workers.
As per the National Policy on Safety,Health and
Environmentat Work Place (1.3) Governmentis
committed to regulate all economic activities for
managementof saf'etyand health risks at workplaces
andto providemeasures
soasto ensuresafeandhealthy
workingconditionsfor everyworkingmanandwoman
in the nation. Governmentrecognizesthat safety and
healthof workershasapositiveimpactonproductivity
and economicand socialdevelopment.
Preventionis
an integralpart of economicactivitiesas high safety
and health standardat work is as imporlant as good
businessperformancefor new as well as existing
industries.Moreoverwithout safe,cleanenvironment
aswell ashealthyworkingconditions,
socialjusticeand
economicgrowthcannotbe achieved
andthatsafeand
healthy working environmentis recognizedas a
fundamentalhuman right. Education,training,
consultationand exchangeof information and good
practicesareessentialfor preventionandpromotion of
such measures.
Theincreasing
useof chemicals.
exposure
tophysical,
chemicaland biological agentswith potentialhazard
unknownto people:the indiscriminate
useof agro-
chemicals
includingpesticides.
agricultural
machinery
and equipment:
industries
with major accidentrisks;
effects of computer-controlled
technologiesand
alarminginfluenceof stressat work in many modern
jobsposeserious
safety,
healthandenvironmental
risks.
The fundamentalpurposeof this National Policy on
Saf-ety.
Health and Environmentat Workplaceis not
only to eliminatetheincidence
of work-related
injuries,
diseases.
fatalities,disasterandlossof nationalassets
andensuringachievement
of ahighlevelof occupational
safety,health and environmentperformancethrough
proactiveapproaches
butalsoto enhance
thewell-being
of the employeeand society,at large.The necessary
changesin this areawill be basedon a co-ordinated
nationaleffort focusedon clear nationalgoals and
objectives.
The terms health, sa.f'ety'
and security are closely
relatedto eachother.Healthis thegeneralstateof well-
being.It notonlyincludesphysicalwell-being,butalso
emotionalandmentalwell-being.Safetyrefersto the
actof protecting
thephysicalwell-beingof anemployee.
HeallhAction. October2012

2. It will include the risk of accidentscauseddue to
machinery,
fire or diseases.
Securityreferstoprotecting
facilitiesandequipmentfrom unauthorized
access
and
protecting
employees
whiletheyareon'uvork.
There are three major le_eislations
relating to
occupational
healthandsat'etr
rnIndia.Theyarerelated
to the health and safetr of personsemployed in
factories.
minesandpons.
TheFactories
Act,1948
It providesthetbllou'in-e
provisions
fbr maintaining
health.securityand saf'ety
of employees.
SaJety
Fencingof machinery,
Workonmachineryin motion,
Cashingof new machines,Protectionof eyes,Hoists
and lifls, Self-actingmachinery,Excessiveweights,
Pressure
plant, Precautions
againstdangerous
fumes,
Floors,stairsandmeansof access,
Precautions
in case
of fire, Explosivesof inflammable_eas.
Sat'etyof
buildings
& machinerv.
Maintenance
of buildincs.
Healtlt
Ventilation
& Temperature.
Drsposal
oi r:te.
Cleanliness.
Dustandfumes.
ArtitrcialHumiditlcatron.
Overcrowding,
Lightening,
Drinkrngwater.
Latrines
and
urinals,Spittoons.
Welfare
Washingfacilities,Facilitiesfor sitting, First aid
appliances,
Canteens,
Restroomsandshelters,
Crdches,
Facilitiesfor storinganddryingclothing.
Mines
Act,1952
It containsprovisionsfor measuresrelating to the
health,safetyand welfareof personsemployedin the
coalandoil mines.
As pertheNationalPolicyon Safety,
HealthandEnvironment
atWorkplace
(1.3)Government
is committed
to
regulate
all economic
activitiesfor
management
of safetyandhealthrisksat
workplacesandto providemeasures
so
asto ensuresafeandhealthyworking
conditionsfor everyworkingmanand
womanin thenation.
It providesthe following provisionsfor health and
safetyof mine workers:
Drinking water, Conservancy,
Medical appliances,
Workinghours,Noticeaboutaccidents,
Noticeof certain
diseases.
DockWorkers'(Safety,Health& Welfare)
Act,1986
It c,rntain:
prtrri:ionr litr thehealth.
saf-ety
andwelfare
tri $ trrkc.r>
rrtrrkinsin port:,dtrck>.
It proride:thelollouineprorisions:
Fencingof dangerous
places,Passages
to be kept
clear,Railingsandfencings,Stagingconstructionand
maintenance,
Work on staging,Lifesavingappliances,
Illumination,Fire protection,Excessivenoise,Access
betweendeck and hold, Stairs, Floor loading,
Construction,
Accessbetweendeckandvessel,
Access
betweenshoreandship.
Conclusion
Governmentstandscommittedto review the National
Policy on Safety,HealthandEnvironmentatWorkplace
andlegisIationsthroughtriparliteconsultation.
improve
enforcement.
compilationand analysisof statistics;
developspecialprogrammes
for hazardous
operations
and other fbcus sectors,set up training mechanisms,
createnation-wide awareness,
arrangefor the
mobilisationof availableresources
andexpefiise.Our
goalmustbeto improvethequalityof work andworking
life throughdedicated
andconcerted
effortsconsistent
n iththerequirements
of safety.
health
andenvironment
at work place.I
(Asst.PrrtJessrtr,
Dept; rj Pharmucology, Shri
Ruvatpuru lrtstituteo.fpharmacy,Datia, MP. Email:
ra.i
uasirvrtthun @gntail.com)
HealthAction. October2012