LAHORE, Feb 20: Federal government labour adviser Raja Faizul Hasan Faiz has said a comprehensive law on occupational health and safety is on the anvil.

The adviser said at a conference on "Challenges and opportunities for safety, health and environment in Pakistan" here on Friday that the government had ratified the International Labour Organization Convention on occupational health and safety, and wanted to give a uniform policy for enforcement at the federal level.

He said the new law was being formulated by consolidating and updating a number of existing laws. Nearly 72 different laws were being consolidated into six.

Similarly, 13 laws pertaining to workmen's compensation and social security were being replaced. The scope of application of the laws was also being widened as they were not applicable to informal sector at present.

He said the federal government also wanted a uniform policy about labour inspections and had taken up the issue with the commerce and industries ministers as they were conducted by the provinces.

The federal government considered inspections necessary for ensuring implementation of laws but Sindh and Punjab governments had imposed restrictions on them.

Mr Faiz said inspections were necessary in high risk industry in particular. Inspectors were also required to be qualified so that they could properly inspect industries using sophisticated processes.

He said all places of work and all categories of workers should be covered under the occupational safety and compensation laws like the developed countries. Occupational safety laws should be applicable to self-employers as well.

He said proper enforcement of laws had also become necessary to meet the social accountability requirements of the employers under the international trade practices. Exports of industries failing to meet the social accountability requirements could discontinue after the enforcement of WTO regime.

He said it was the duty of the employers to provide safe working conditions on the one hand and ensure safe disposal of industrial waste to ensure that it did not affect the workers of neighbouring industries on the other.

Columbia University Environment Health and Safety Associate Director Dr Muhammad Akram said occupational health and safety laws should be applicable on formal as well as informal sectors because these were meant for protection of human life.

Technical expertise was also a must for the enforcement of the laws.He said Pakistan had all kinds of laws but they could not produce desired results due to lack of proper enforcement.

The laws were also obsolete and required to be updated in accordance with the latest developments. Dr Akram said anyone who sustained injuries in the US could file a petition for compensation.

The states and town administrations were free to promulgate laws on all subjects provided that they were more comprehensive and stringent than the federal laws.

Pakistan Workers Confederation secretary general Khurshid Ahmad said the government was not fulfilling its responsibilities regarding enforcement of laws. Workers were being ruthlessly exploited due to the suspension of inspections in Sindh and the Punjab.

He said the provisions of UN Code 8000 regarding social accountability of industrial concerns were being flouted in the country. Inspection system had not been updated to enforce health and safety standards at the mines and industrial units using sophisticated chemical processes. The National Health and Safety Council had not been constituted even two years after announcement.

Shell Health, Safety and Security adviser Dr Tahir Barlas said physical security of employees should also be included in the occupational health and safety system.

He said effects of oil spill from Tasman Spirit could not be controlled because the government had made no such arrangements for the purpose. Lahore Hospital Waste Management project director Dr Fuad Hameed Rai said legislation was in the offing for setting up central incinerators in every district.

Scientific disposal of hospital waste was necessary to eliminate chances of its reuse which resulted in spread of infectious diseases. Punjab Workers Employers Bilateral Cooperation (WEBCOP) secretary general Iftikhar Randhawa said the government should create awareness about occupational health and safety among the workers and employers. Committees should be constituted in the industrial areas for the purpose, he added.