KARACHI, Sept 12: Occupational safety and health of workers is one of the concerns of the ILO, with its development programme operative in developing countries.
“The ILO is specially committed to this vital aspect of labour welfare, occupational safety, health and hygienic environment and development within and outside factories and workplaces.”
This was stated by speakers at a seminar on “Occupational Safety and Health”, organized jointly by the National Institute of Labour Administration Training and National Trade Union Federation and Occupational Health and Safety Centre, Directorate of Labour Welfare, Government of Sindh, here the other day.
Some 75 participants from different public and private sector organizations, trade union employees organizations, and representatives of press and media attended the occasion.
D-G NILAT Hakim Ali Shah Bukhari in his presentation said role of government in provision of safeguards against occupation- related risks is not limited only to the policy formulation and enforcement of various legislation but it also includes advisory services, training and educational facilities on the subject of occupational safety and health.
The participants of the seminar formulated recommendations which includes that the government should not only ratify all ILO conventions and recommendations concerning occupational safety and health but also enforce them practically and at workplaces, there should be strict check on observance of occupational safety and health laws and rules by the management that workers should use all safety tools.
The government should use mass media like TV, radio and print media in addition to TV cables for creating an awareness about occupational safety and health among the public and due emphasis be given to potential risks and hazards involved.
Employers should ensure all preventive measures for safety and health for their workers and should form safety committees and organize safety programmes in their factories and do safety exercise periodically.
A subject of health and safety be introduced in the curriculum of all schools and standard of allowable concentration of heat, dust fumes and noise in different industries be prescribed by the government.
Sustained efforts be made to train and educate workers, supervisors and managerial staff in the field of safety and health at the time of employment.
Those who spoke on the occasion included C. I. Nankani, Syed Ghayoorul Hasan and Syed Ali Ashraf.—PPI
