Causes of fatal accidents, diseases in workplaces highlighted

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

[email protected]

The failure to adopt safety standards and negligence were the major cause of fatal accidents and diseases in workplaces, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) report.

Minister of Labour Relations and Manpower Athauda Seneviratne quoting the ILO report said that two hundred and seventy million work related accidents occur while 160 million suffer from work related diseases, 2.5 million worldwide die annually.

The Minister who was the Chief Guest at the 2008 National Safety Awards addressed the gathering held in Colombo recently.

He said occupational accidents were a burden to the country's economy as the Government spends a large sum of money on free medical care. Four per cent of the GNP of a country is lost due to occupational accidents. All stakeholders including industries, workers, employers, trade unions and the State should improve safety measures at their workplaces to save lives. Work related accidents kill more people than in a war, he said.

The Minister said the National Safety Awards ceremony was inaugurated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he was the Minister of Labour and Vocational Training in 1994. The Eagle Insurance company has shown its social responsibility by sponsoring the National Safety Awards ceremony for the seventh occasion. "I hope the safety awards ceremony will continue in the future as well to promote occupational safety and health."

Eagle Insurance's Managing Director, Deepal Sooriarachchi stressed the importance of safety at the workplace. He said safety had to be taught at pre-school level for children to understand it. "We are trying to change the national attitude towards safety standards," he said.

Commissioner General of Labour, D.S. Edirisinghe said that more than 100 work related fatal accidents are reported and over 3500 workers sustain injuries every year in Sri Lanka.

Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Manpower Mahinda Madihahewa also spoke.

Hidaramani Industries (Pvt) Ltd, Kahathuduwa won the large scale category award and the Medium Scale awards went to Shell Gas Lanka Ltd, at their filling station at Sapugaskanda and Shell Terminal Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, at Kerawalapitiya.

Melbourne Textile Washing Plant (Pvt) Ltd, Wattala won the first runners-up award in the large scale category. Glaxo Welcome Ceylon Ltd, Moratuwa and Asia Power Station - Sapugaskanda won in the Small award category. Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, Refinery Division, Sapugaskanda, Melbourne Textile Washing Plant (Pvt) Ltd, Mahiyangana and AES Kelanitissa (Pvt) Ltd, - Wellampitiya were the second runners up in the large, medium and the Small Scale categories.

There were eleven Sectoral Award winners this year. In the manufacturing and Processing Sector Smithkline Beecham (Pvt) Ltd. - Athidiya was the winner with BASF Finlay (Pvt) Ltd, Sapugaskanda emerging as the runner-up. Merit awards were won by HJS Condiments Ltd, Malwana, Chemical Industries Colombo Ltd, Ratnmalana Works and Blue Scope Lysaght Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, Sapugaskanda.

In the Apparel and Allied Industries sector, the winner was Paxar Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, Biyagama. MAS Active (Pvt) Ltd, Synergy Division, Avissawella was the runner-up.

crystal Martin Ceylon (Pvt) Ltd Wathupitiwala, Maliban Textiles Mahiyangana (Pvt) Ltd, and EAM Maliban Textile (Pvt) Ltd Dehiattakandiya were the recipients of the merit awards. In the Engineering Services, Ceylon Electricity Board, Ukuwela Power Station was the winner and Laugfs Gas (Pvt), Mabima was the runner-up.

There were no awards in the Tea and Plantation sector.