Occupational safety cannot be compromised - ILO Director

A fatal accident takes place every ten minutes and there are around 60,000 in construction sites annually. One in every six fatal accidents occurs on a construction site, said Director, ILO-Colombo, Tine Staermose at a seminar on Occupational Safety and Health in the Construction Industry organised by the Ministry of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment and the ILO on Tuesday.

She said occupational safety and the health of workers cannot be compromised at any cost. The well-being of a worker is integral to decent work. The dignity of workers is at the core of the ILO and it will ensure that a decent working environment will be created in every country.

The agenda for decent work is urgent with the rising number of fatalities and subhuman working conditions in the world. Governments, institutions, employees and workers need to be aware of their responsibilities to work, Staermose said.

In industrialised countries 25-40 percent work related deaths occur on construction sites though the sector employs only 6-10 percent of the workforce. It is estimated that 30 percent of construction workers suffer from back pains or other muscular disorders due to constraints of work.

Workers in the construction sector are prone to fatalities. According to the Department of Labour, 52 fatal and 1,688 non-fatal accidents were reported in 2005.

Staermose said decent work is not only satisfactory wages but also assuring the safety of the worker. Decent work entails that while the worker gets a just wage he or she is ensured of safety and health. Even a job done freely exposed to health hazards is not decent work.

What is needed in Sri Lanka is to promote a partnership culture which will focus on preventing occupational accidents and diseases. It is the responsibility of stakeholders to develop a healthy working culture where the worker is ensured safety, productivity and dignity.

The Minster of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment Athauda Seneviratne said of the 8.1 million workforce in Sri Lanka nearly six percent are in the construction sector. Over 80 percent of them are contract labourers.

The fatal injuries of contract workers are not reported to the Department of Labour. A large number of workers suffer from occupational injuries and other health hazards. The question lies whether the contract workers are ensured safety and good working conditions.

Stringent measures must be taken to improve labour standards. The enforcement of laws are extremely important to create a better working culture. The National Occupational and Health Safety Centre set up by the Ministry of Labour strives to ensure the welfare of workers.

A long term strategy is to include health and safety in the new draft of the Safety and Health Act and encourage a regulatory system. Regulations will be introduced for scaffolding, trenches, lifting equipment, temporary wiring and protective measures.

The Ministry of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment has moved away from enforcement to a management strategy. The Ministry will introduce regulations and inculcate safety culture through legislation, training and education, the Minister said.

LF