April 09, 2002
'21'
CENTRE TO FORMULATE A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY ON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
Center has decided to formulate a coherent and comprehensive National Policy on Occupational Safety and Health during the 10th Five-Year Plan. The Policy will take into consideration the provisions in the ILO Convention No. 155 on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Environment. This was stated by the Labour Minister, Shri Sharad Yadav while inaugurating a National Conference on "Health, Safety and Environment Challenge in the Era of Globalization", here today. He said that the Government will also enact a general legislation on occupational safety and health for workplaces. Shri Yadav said that the extension of legislative cover would be ineffective without creating mass awareness on safety and health issues. He said that it has been decided to give thrust to seven segments namely agriculture, construction, shops and establishment, bedi and cigar manufacturing, homework, eating places and waste management for undertaking large awareness campaign. He said that the Planning Commission has approved a substantial outlay for this purpose.
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shri Muni Lall called for more effective partnership between the government, industry and community for properly tackling the off-site emergency with community involvement. He said that after the Bhopal disaster, the focus of OSH legislations has shifted to the larger question of public safety and health. He urged the management to give a higher priority to community awareness programmes. Shri Muni Lall added that this is important because about 1500 major accident hazard units identified in the country have prepared the on-site emergency plans but have not carried out community awareness programmes effectively.
The Labor Secretary, Shri Vinod Vaish said that the time has come for the regulatory agencies and industry to develop jointly a comprehensive and common approach for improving occupational safety, health and environment at work places. He said that Industry Associations and NGOs should set-up common facilities for improving working conditions in small and medium scale enterprises, as they can not afford to have in-house HSE organizations.
Labour Minister give away 21 NSCI Safety Awards – 1999 on the occasion in recognition of their outstanding achievement and leadership in ensuring safety. Shri Yadav also gave away Life Time Contribution Award to Shri Chandrakant B. Garware, in recognition of his exceptional and visionary contribution for two decades as Chairman of the National Safety Council. The Labour Minister also inaugurated an HSE Exhibition featuring products, services, equipment and publications on safety, fire protection, health and environment.
The three-day Conference is being attended by more than 500 delegates from India and abroad comprising of HSE professional, decision-makers, business and industry leaders and representatives of trade union and NGOs.