Employability Skills

Chapter 11: Occupational

Safety, Health &
Environment

THEORY 11.01 OCCUPATIONAL

SAFETY AND HEALTH
INTRODUCTION
Objectives: At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Understand the meaning of safety.
Explain the need of occupational health and safety

SAFETY
Safety refers to freedom or protection from harm, danger,
hazard, risk, accident, injury or damage. Safety is a common
word we all come across in our daily lives. Need for safety is
stressed upon in everything we do. It is because no matter
wherever we are, risks, dangers, hazards and accidents always
surround us. Therefore it is necessary to follow safety rules and
regulations at work. If a worker working in a factory is injured
then it would not only affect him but also his family. It will result
in both health as well as financial loss. Such accidents may
even prove fatal.

 Accidents usually occur commonly because of safety

negligence. Hence, if people follow the prescribed safety
measures then it will definitely lead to the decrease in
accidents. Therefore, safety is of utmost importance in
any industrial or occupational set-up Occupational Health
and Safety.
Need of occupational health and safety
All businesses have a duty of care to ensure that workers and
any other person who may be affected by the businesses
undertaking remain harmless at all time.
Moral responsibilities would involve the defense of employees
lives and health.
Legal reasons for OSH practices relate to the preventative,
disciplinary and compensatory effects of laws that defend
workers safety and health.
OSH can also decrease worker injury and illness related costs,
including medical care, sick leave and disability benefit prices.

THEORY 11.02 OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS

Objectives: At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Know what is occupational diseases
State various types of occupational diseases
Define what is occupational hygiene
Describe various occupational hazards

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Occupational health refers to the identification and control
of the risks arising from physical, chemical, and other
workplace hazards in order to establish and maintain a safe
and healthy working environment. These hazards may
include chemical agents and solvents, heavy metals such
as lead and mercury, physical agents such as loud noise or
vibration, and physical hazards such as electricity or
dangerous machinery.

 OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE
The definition used by IOHA is: Occupational Hygiene is discipline of
anticipating, recognizing, evaluating and controlling health hazards in
the working environment with the objective of protecting worker
health and well-being and safeguarding the community at large.
Occupational Hygiene has also been defined as the practice of
identifying of hazardous agents; chemical, physical and biological; in
the workplace that could cause disease or discomfort, evaluating the
extent of the risk due to exposure to these hazardous agents, and the
control of those risks to prevent ill-health in the long or short term.

Anticipation: It refers to the identification of possible hazards and their

effects on health.

Recognition:
hazards.

Evaluation (measurement and assessment):

It refers to
measurement and assessment of actual hazards by tools and techniques.

Control of Workplace hazards: It comprises of various techniques utilized

for controlling the workplace hazards such as administrative controls, medical
examination, use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), etc.

It refers to the acceptance of the ill-effects of the identified

the

 OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
The occupational hazards can be categorized as follows:
a.

Hygiene related: Contamination of hands, face and other exposed

parts of the body with solids, liquids and gases from waste and this
may lead to exposure to diseases such as Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a
severe contagion that distresses liver. Hepatitis B virus causes it.
Tetanus may be caused due to stepping on rusty nails, tin or iron,
Clostridium tetani a bacteria causes tetanus.

b.

Tools and machinery causing injury: Some tools and machinery

such as cutting and welding machines, sharp knives, blades, heavy
machines etc. may also cause accidents.

c.

Flammable, explosive or hazardous substances: Some factories

or industries make use of flammable and explosive materials such as
gas cylinders, hazardous chemicals, flammable gases etc. that may
result in fire and accidents.

d.

Working at heights/falls: Some hazards may be caused due to

falling from ladder or buildings. Falls from dumping platforms is also a
hazard. Liquid leakages around the site may result in Slip, trip of fall
hazards.

e.

Manual handing: Sometimes manual handling of some objects

such as sharp materials or chemicals etc. may cause accident. One
must assist in unloading vehicles. Accidents may even occur while
manually moving large or awkward loads.

f.

Noise: Some plants in the industries emit high level of constant

noise, such noise can be hazardous. People who use earphones
may not be able to hear vehicle movements close. Therefore, it is
advisable not to use mobile phones while working.

g.

Electrical: Overhead or underground lives electricity.

maintained or exposed electrical leads and plugs.

h.

Confined Spaces: Confined spaces refer to places such as septic

tanks; mines, manholes, storage tower, vessels, tunnels etc.
Organizations must ensure that a person entering the confined
space is appropriately trained and also has explicit consent from
the superintendent to do so.

i.

Fire: Sometimes fire may occur at the workplace. Fire may be

caused due to various reasons such as careless smoking, disposal
of matches, insufficient distance from the flammable materials,
faulty electrical equipment, and inferior electrical wires.

Poorly

 CLASSIFICATION OF HAZARDS BASED ON ORIGIN

Hazards can also be classified based on their origin. These are described
below:
a.

Biological Hazards which arise due to some biological reasons are termed as
biological hazards such as by any living entities like bacteria, viruses, insects,
plants, birds, animals, humans, etc.

b.

Chemical Hazards which arise due to some chemical reasons depend on the
physical, chemical and toxic properties of the chemical. The severity of the
hazard depends on the toxic properties of the chemical.

c.

Ergonomic hazards, which arise due to repetitive movements, inappropriate,

set up of workplace (e.g. computer workstation, workstation for repair of
electrical gadgets etc.), defective designed seats, apparatuses and tools,
incorrect positions, etc. are termed as Ergonomic hazards.

d.

Physical Some hazards which arise due to some physical reactions such as
radiation, magnetic fields, pressure extremes (high pressure or vacuum), noise,
etc. These are termed as Physical hazards.

e.

Psychosocial Sometimes psychosocial stress also results in violence, extreme

pressure at workplace for meeting deadlines, conflicts at workplace, etc. These
are termed as psychological hazards.

f.

Safety Safety hazards arise when the safety at workplace is neglected. These
include slipping/tripping hazards, incorrect machine shielding, and apparatus
faults or halt.

 OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE
An occupational disease is a disease or disorder that is
caused by the work or working conditions.
This means that the disease must have developed due to
exposures in the workplace and that the correlation between
the exposures and the disease is well known in medical
research. Alternatively, put in another way, it must not be
likely, beyond reasonable doubt, that the disease was
caused by factors other than work.
Exposures in the workplace that may cause some of the
above diseases:
Repetitive work movements
Work with arms lifted above shoulder height
Heavy lifting work
Work in a very noisy environment
Work with hazardous substances

 TYPES OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES

Examples of occupational diseases:
1. Tennis elbow
2. Allergy
3. Hearing loss
4. Asthma
5. Anthrax
6. Carbon monoxide poisoning
7. Silicosis
8. Pneumoconiosis
9. Lead poisoning etc.
10.Occupational cancer (ex: Lung cancer)
11.Occupational dermatitis (due to oil, chemicals and paints)
12.Toxic jaundice
13.Noise induced hearing loss (due to high noise)

THEORY 11.3 ACCIDENT AND

SAFETY

Objectives: At the end of this lesson, you will be

able to:
Understand the meaning and causes of accidents
Classify accidents based on hazards and agency
Define injury
State the cost of accident
Describe five Es of accident
approaches to preventive action

prevention

and

MEANING OF ACCIDENT
Accident refers to an unexpected and undesirable
event, especially one resulting in damage or harm
to any person, property or environment.

 CAUSES OF ACCIDENT
Some examples of indirect causes
Knowledge / skill deficiencies
Motivations conflicting with safety (eg. Desire to save time,
complete a job within a deadline)
Management failures to instruct, train, supervise, inform
Failure to follow a procedure eg in a script or risk
assessment
Design or engineering faults eg insufficient safety devices
Inadequate maintenance and /or preventative maintenance
Improper use of equipment, eg beyong its rated capacity
Unsafe procedures by others eg contractors
Lack of, or incomplete understanding of information given
in the English language

 Some examples of direct causes

Operating at unsafe speed or manner (eg a pedestrian operated pallet
truck turned in too tight a circle)
Defeating safety devices (eg window opening restrictions)
Operating without authority (eg no permit to work)
Use of defective equipment (eg home-made flash back arrestors)
Using an unsafe position (eg incorrect seating,, fragile roof with no
crawling boards)
Repair, servicing, or observation of energized equipment (eg working on
live electrical systems)
Failure to make secure (eg fixing of guards, slings)
Failure to use protective equipment (eg splashed to the eyes when
protective glasses have not been worn)
Use of dangerous machinery or equipment with trapping, entanglement,
cutting, shearing hazards and inadequate safety devices (eg craft knives
or Stanley knives)
Physical conditions (eg condition of stairs, floor surfaces, obstructions,
poor lighting)
Poor housekeeping (eg giving rise to tripping and slipping hazards)

 CLASSIFICATION OF ACCIDENT
There are various ways to classify accidents.
Based on Hazards
Accidents can be classified based on
hazards. These are as follows:
Fall of people
Fall of substances
Splashing of substances

Based on agency
Machine equipments
Environmental
stresses
Floor/passages/stairca
ses

Pressed between two substances

Explosion/fire

Striking against substances

Furnaces/kings/digest

Hit by objects
Exposure to
heat/cold/chemistry/electricity
Explosion/fire

er
Chemical
Radiation
Injury

 Based on seriousness
Accidents fall into two categories, serious and non-serious. Nonserious accidents do not cause lost workdays even though the
worst that could happen did happen. Examples of these include
paper cuts, minor scratches or abrasions, or system failures that
have minor consequences, such as low-pressure hose that
ruptures and sprays cool water. Serious accidents include both
those, which did involve lost workdays, and those, which might
have. This second type of serious accident is called a near miss
Examples of near misses with serious injury potential include:
A worker twists an ankle in a fall from a low scaffold (this could easily
have been a broken leg or worse);
A worker tips back in a chair and topples backward (backward falls are
always serious because head injury might result);
A worker turns on a machine and gets a slight shock (shock from voltage
potential greater than 75 volts DC or 40 volts AC is considered serious).

 INJURY
Injury is the outcome of the accident or mis-

happening.
Nature of injury
Cut
Crush
Laceration
Contusion
Abrasion
Asphyxiation
Amputation
Effect of heat/cold/radiation

 COST OF ACCIDENT
Accidents are more expensive than most people realize
because of the hidden costs. Many people suffer due to the
accident at workplace. The costs that are involved are both
direct and indirect; however, the employee who was injured
will be the one who pays the most. The costs associated with
an accident are always more than just pounds and pence. Let
us discuss the cost of accident to various entities.
Cost of friction or Direct Costs for the Employee
It refers to the accident cost borne by the injured person.
These are:
Physical pain and suffering
Mental anguish, Worry
Loss of wages and overtime
Loss of productivity on and off the job
Medical expenses
Loss of limb or life, etc.

 Direct Costs for the Employer

Sick pay

Worker compensation claims including legal costs

Insurance premiums

Equipment, tools, plant, products or property damage requiring repair/replacement

Overtime pay for other works to catch up

Indirect Costs for the Employer

Loss of a valued employee

Production delays

Failure to fill orders and meet deadlines

Lost time on accident investigations by management

Replacing the lost worker leading to subsequent hiring/training costs

Knock on effect for co-workers reducing morale

Loss of business reputation

Cost to Society

Loss of person is loss to be the society

Increase in the price index

Inferior products, etc.

Cost to Society

Loss of person is loss to the society

Increase in the price index

Inferior products, etc.

 FIVE ES OF ACCIDENT PREVENTION

Engineering: Project stage is the apt time for planning safety.
While management has the obligation to make the work
environment safer by using all available latest techniques, govt.
agencies should exercise more control in the project stage itself. In
addition, updated technology should be given preference over the
updated one even if these are costlier. In granting industrial
license, special emphasis should be given to safety and
antipollution measures. Highest level of safety could be achieved
through engineering control only.
Education: Accident studies states that over 98% of accidents are
due to human failure. If adequate steps are taken to overcome
human failure by proper education, then accident prevention will be
reality. The most important steps of education for safety consists of
job training, dissemination of knowledge of hazards and their
controls, procedures for repair/maintenance work etc. work permit
system, fire prevention, control and firefighting equipments, use of
personal protective equipment, first aid measures.

 Enforcement: When employees fail to observe safe practices, which they have
been taught through the educational part of their training programme, it becomes
necessary to prevent the spread of unsafe practices. Enforcing safety discipline to
all is vital for the healthy growth of the nation. Safety enforcement can be done in
industry by including safety codes in standing orders. Anything enforcement is
resisted at the outset. Let the workers frame rules and the managers follow.
Finally, govt. has to enforce the stand.
Enthusiasm: As human failures account for almost all accidents, it is possible to
eliminate by suitable corrective methods. Hearsay reports that production from
industrial workers was 8% higher when they are happy; maintaining the morale of
workers is the prime duty of the management. All kinds of motivational techniques
like individual safety awards, departmental safety contest, safety slogan, and essay
contest; spot the hazard contest etc. goes a long way to motivate the people. A
safety suggestion programme to identify hazardous location is worth
complementing. Most important of all the participation of workers in all the
deliberations of safety. Govt. can appreciate good safety record by issuing medals,
trophies and certificates.
Evaluation: Continuous evaluation of programmes, procedures and performance is
necessary for improvement in safety. Safety committee can work in this line. Job
safety analysis and statistics also help in this direction. Quality of personal
protective equipment is also evaluated.
The above five Es are the cardinal principles in accident prevention.

 APPROACHES TO PREVENTIVE ACTION

There are two approaches to accident. First is the
proactive approach in which effort is made before the
occurrence of accident. This is known as preventive
approach. The other is the reactive approach in which
action is taken after the occurrence of accident. This is
known as reactive approach.
Preventive Approach
Hazard or threat identification
Analysis and assessment of hazards
Preventive action
Accident prevention
Reactive Approach
Investigation
Find causes of accidents
Preventive action

Sr.
No.
1

4
5

6
7
8

Type
of Hazards
protection
Head
1 Falling objects
Protection
2 spatter
3 Striking against objects
Face Protection 1 Spark generated during
welding, grinding
2 Face protection from UV
rays
3 Welding spatter striking
Eye Protection 1 Flying dust particles
2 UV rays, IR rays heat
and high amount of visible
radiation
Ear Protection
High noise level
Hand
1 Heat burn due to high
Protection
contact
2 Electric shock
3 Blows sparks moderate
heat
Body
1 Hot particles
Protection
Nose
1 Dust particles
2 Fumes/gases/vapors
Foot
1 Hot spatter
2 Working wet area

PPE Used
Helmets

Face shield, head shield

without
ear
muff;
helmets with welders
careen for welders
Goggles,
face
shield,
hand shield, head shield

Ear plug, Ear Muff

Hand gloves

Leather aprons
Nose masks
Leather leg guards
Safety shoes

 PRINCIPLES OF MANUAL MATERIAL HANDLING

Here are some particle tips, suitable for use in training
people in safe manual handling:
Think before lifting/handling. Plan the lift. Can handling
aids be used? Where is the load going to be placed? Will help
be needed with the load? Remove obstructions such as
discarded wrapping materials.
For a long lift, consider
resting the load midway on a table or bench to change grip.

 Adopt stable position. The feet should slightly

forward to maintain balance (alongside the load, if it
is on the ground). The worker should be prepared to
move their feet during the lift to maintain their
stability. Avoid tight clothing or unsuitable footwear,
which may make this difficult.
Get a good hold. Where possible, the load should
be hugged as close as possible to the body. This
may be better than gripping it tightly with hands
only.
Start in a good posture. At the start of the lift,
slight bending of the back, hips and knees is
preferable to fully flexing the back (stooping) of fully
flexing the hips and knees (squatting).

 Do not flex the back any further while lifting. This can
happen if the legs begin to straighten before starting to raise the

Avoid twisting the back or leaning

sideways, especially while the back is
bent. Shoulders should be kept level and
facing in the same direction as the hips.
Turning by moving the feet is better than
twisting and lifting at the same time.

 Keep the load close to the waist. Keep the

load close to the body for as long as possible
while lifting. Keep the heaviest side of the load
next to the body. If a close approach to the load
is not possible, try to slide it towards the body
before attempting to lift it.
Keep the head up when handling.
Look
ahead, not down at the load, once it has been
held securely.
Move smoothly. The load should not be jerked
or snatched as this can make it harder to keep
control and can increase the risk of injury.
Do not lift or handle more than can be easily
managed. There is difference between what
people can lift and what they can safely lift. If in
doubt, seek advice or get help.
Put down, and then adjust. If precise positioning
of the load is necessary, put it down first, and
then slide it into the desired position.

 MACHINE GUARDING
Purpose: There seem to be as many hazards created by moving
machine parts as there are types of machines. Safeguards are
essential for protecting operators from preventable injuries.
Where are the guards needed?
Any machine part, function, or process that might cause injury
must be safeguarded. When the operation of a machine or
accidental contact with it could injure the operator or others in
the vicinity, the hazards must be either controlled or eliminated.

 Where Mechanical Hazards Occur?

Dangerous moving parts in three basic areas require
safeguarding:
The point of operation: that point where work is performed
on the material, such as cutting, shaping, boring, or forming
of stock.
Power transmission apparatus: all components of the
mechanical system that transmit energy to the part of the
machine performing the work. These components include
flywheels, pulleys, belts, connecting rods, couplings, cams,
spindles, chains, cranks, and gears.
Other moving parts: all parts of the machine that moves
while the machine is working.
These may include
reciprocating, rotating, and transverse moving parts, as well
as feed mechanisms and auxiliary parts of the machine.

 ERGONOMICS RELATING TO MACHINE GUARDING

Safeguards must meet these minimum general requirements:
Prevent contact: The safeguard must prevent hands, arms,
and any other part of an operators body from making contact
with dangerous moving parts. A good safeguarding system
eliminates the possibility of the operator or another worker
placing parts of their bodies near hazardous moving parts.
Secure: Operators should not be able to easily remove or
tamper with the safeguard, because a safeguard that can
easily be made ineffective is no safeguard at all. Guards and
safety devices should be made of durable material that will
withstand the conditions of normal use. They must be firmly
secured to the machine.
Protect form falling objects: The safeguard should ensure
that no objects can fall into moving parts. A small tool
dropped into a cycling machine could easily become a
projectile that could strike and injure someone.

 Create no new hazards: A safeguard defeats its own

purpose if it creates a hazard such as a shear point, a
jagged edge, or an unfinished surface that could cause a
laceration. The edges of guards, for instance, should be
rolled or bolted in such a way to eliminate sharp edges.
Create no interference: Any safeguard that impedes an
operator from performing the job quickly and comfortably
might soon be overridden or disregarded.
Proper
safeguarding may actually enhance efficiency since it
relieves the operators apprehensions about injury.
Allow safe lubrication: If possible, workers should be
able to lubricate the machine without removing the
safeguards. Locating oil reservoirs outside the guard, with
a line leading to the lubrication point, will reduce the need
for the operator or maintenance operator to enter the
hazardous area.

 BASIC
REQUIREMENTS
OF
GOOD
MACHINE GUARDING
The basic requirements of good machine
guarding are as follows:
It must conform to the standards.
It must provide maximum possible protection.
It should not weaken the performance of the
machine
It must be considered as an essential part of
the machine.
It must be convenient.
It must be durable, resistant to fire and
corrosion and easily repaired.
It should not have hazards.

 TYPES OF GUARDS
Guards are barriers that prevent access to danger areas. There are four
general types of guards:
1. Fixed guard
. As its name implies, a fixed guard is a permanent part of the machine. It
is not dependent upon moving parts to perform its intended function. It
may be constructed of sheet metal, screen, wire cloth, bars, plastic, or any
other material that is substantial enough to withstand whatever impact it
may receive and to endure prolonged use. This guard is usually preferable
to all other types because of its relative simplicity and permanence.
2. Interlocking guards
. Shuts off or disengages power and prevents starting of machine when
guard is open; should require the machine to be stopped before the
worker can reach into the danger area.
Advantages

Can provide maximum protection.

Allows access to machine for removing jams without time consuming removal of
fixed guards

3. Automatic guards
. This type of guard closes automatically when the
machine cycle is initiated and is arranged so that
the machine will not move until the guard is in
the safe position.
4. Trip Guards
. A tip guard is actually a device, which ensures
that an approach to a dangerous part beyond a
safe limit stops or reverses the machine. Trip
devices include trip bars and wires, photoelectric
devices and pressure-sensitive strips and mats. It
is critical that trip devices are properly adjusted
and that the machines brake is in good order.
. FENCING
. Areas which have potential fire hazard and other
hazardous areas should be fenced properly all
around and a warning sign may be displayed.

FIRE SAFETY

Definition of Fire. Fir is the Combustion or burning, in which substances

combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright
light, heat, and smoke.

Types of fire. Most fires that occur will fall into one or more of the
following classes:

There are four different types, or classes, of fire:

A Class A fires involve solid materials of an organic nature such as wood,

paper, cloth, rubber and plastics that do not melt.

B Class B fires involves liquids. They include petrol, diesel, thinners, oils,
paints, wax, cooking fat and plastic that melt.

D Class D fires involve flammable metals

aluminium, titanium, sodium and potassium.

Fire triangle. Three elements must be present for fire: fuel, heat and
oxygen. The same elements make up the fire triangle. Removing any
element of the triangle prevents or extinguishes fires.

FIRE FIGHTING METHODS

There are various ways to fight fire based on three concepts:

Class C fires involve electricity.

Elimination of fuel: starvation or blanketing

Elimination of oxygen: smothering

such

as

magnesium,

THEORY 11.04 FIRST-AID

Objectives: At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Describe how to take care of injured and sick at workplace
Meaning and principles of first aid
Understand how to transport sick persons

CARE OF INJURED AND SIC AT WORKPLACE/FIRST AID

First aid is the provision of immediate car to a victim with an injury of
illness, usually effected by a lay person, and performed with in a limited
skill range. First aid is normally performed unit the injury or illness is
satisfactorily dealt with (such as in the case of small cuts, minor bruises,
and blisters) or until the next level of care, such as a paramedic or doctor,
arrives.
The key guiding principles and purpose of first aid, is often given in the
mnemonic 3 Ps. These three points govern all the actions undertaken
by a first aider.
Prevent further injury
Preserve life
Promote recovery

 TRANSPORTATION OF SICK PERSONS

Medical transport can refer to numerous types of
transportation and transportation companies that serve those
who are ill. Some of these companies only transport people in
emergency situations. Helicopters and ambulances that get
gravely ill people to hospitals in a hurry usually dont require
any advanced thinking on the part of the sick person. Merely
calling emergency services will bring an ambulance quickly so
people are transported to hospitals and quick medical care.
There are lots of times though, when people need
transportation in non-emergency settings, but have medical
conditions that would make it impossible to drive or use public
transportation. Alternately some may need to get somewhere
at a significant distance for specialized care. Plenty of private
companies are available to provide these types of services.

Ambulance

An ambulance is a vehicle which has been specifically

designed to transport someone who requires medical
attention. Many people are familiar with the concept of an
emergency ambulance, an ambulance which is used to
rapidly move patients to critical care in an emergency
room.

Ambulances can also be used for routine transport of non-urgent cases,

such as transfers between hospitals and nursing homes. In most
nations, ambulances are given priority on the road, in recognition to the
fact that time is of the essence when moving critically ill or seriously
injured patients.

Cars, boats, and aircraft can all be adapted or designed for use as an
ambulance. A typical ambulance includes space for one patient and
one to two attendants, with room for the attendants to move
comfortably. Cupboards and cabinets in the vehicle hold medical
supplies which can be used to stabilize the patient on the way to the
hospital. Some ambulances offer only Basic Life Support (BLS), while
others can be used for Advanced Life Support (ALS) for more serious
patients.

Most ambulances have high roofs, so that the attendants can stand, and
they have heavy duty engines so that they can be driven quickly,
despite carrying a lot of weight. Ambulances are also clearly identified
with bright visual markings which are designed to attract attention, and
they may use special alert lights and sirens while in operation. When
an ambulance turns on its lights, siren, or both, other vehicles must
usually yield right of way.

Ambulance services may be operated by hospitals, governments,

nonprofit organizations, and for-profit companies which specialize in
ambulance transport. Several ambulance services have also adopted
rapid response cars, small cars and motorcycles stocked with basic
medical supplies which rove cities with paramedics who can respond to
a medical emergency quickly, assisting the patient while the ambulance
is dispatched and recalling the ambulance if the patients case is not
severe enough to require ambulance transport.

THEORY 11.05 BASIC PROVISIONS

OF SAFETY, HEALTH, WELFARE
Objectives: At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Get an Idea of basic provisions of safety, health, welfare under legislation of India

Idea of basic provisions of safety, health, welfare under legislation of India

Health and safety of the employees is an important aspect of a companys
smooth and successful functioning. It is a decisive factor in organizational
effectiveness.
It ensures an accident-free industrial environment.
Companies must attach the same importance towards achieving high OH&S
performance as they do to the other key objectives of their business
activities. This is because, proper attention to the safety and welfare of the
employees can yield valuable returns to a company by improving employee
morale, reducing absenteeism and enhancing productivity, minimizing
potential of work-related injuries and illnesses and increasing the quality of
manufactured products and/or rendered services.

 The constitution of India has also specified provisions for ensuring occupational
health and safety for workers in the form of three articles i.e. 24, 39 (e and f)
and 42. The regulation of labour and safety in mines and oil fields is under the
Union list. While the welfare of labour including conditions of work, provident
funds, employers invalidity and old age pension and maternity benefit are in
the Concurrent list.
The Ministry of Labour, Government of India and Labour Departments of the
States and Union Territories are responsible for safety and health of workers.
Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) and Directorate General Factory
Advice Services & Labour Institutes (DGFASLI) assist the Ministry in technical
aspects of occupational safety and health in mines and factories & ports
sectors, respectively.
DGMS exercises preventive as well as educational influence over the mining
industry. Its mission is the reduction in risks of occupational diseases and
casualty to persons employed in mines, by drafting appropriate legislation and
setting standards and through a variety of promotional initiatives and
awareness programmes. It undertakes inspection of mines, investigation of all
fatal accidents, grant of statutory permission, exemptions and relaxations in
respect of various mining operation, approval of mines safety equipment,
appliances and material, conduct examinations for grant of statutory
competency certificate, safety promotional incentives including organization of
national awards and national safety conference, etc.

 DGFASLI is an attached office to the Ministry of Labour and

relates to factories and ports/docks. It renders technical
advice to the States/Union Territories in regard to
administration and enforcement of the Factories Act. It
also undertakes support research facilities and carries out
promotional activities through education and training in
matters concerning occupational safety and health.
Major Initiatives undertaken by DGFASLI during the Xth Five Year
Plan are: Improvement and strengthening of enforcement system for
safety and health of dock workers in major ports.
Development of safety and health information system and data
bank.
Establishment of Regional Labour Institute at Faridabad.
Setting up of a National Board on occupational safety and
health.

Exercise 11.08
HAZARDS AT WORK PLACE
Objectives: At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Identifying hazards in the workplace

Instructions:
The pictures below show different
workplaces where a variety of hazards can be found. Look
at the pictures and imagine what sort of problems might
exist in each workplace. Write your responses for each
workplace on a flipchart or chalkboard.
When you finish discussing the jobs shown in the pictures,
discuss the hazards in the trainees own workplaces.
Trainees should discuss the questions listed in the section
In your own workplace below.
Discuss the hazards that may be associated with
these jobs

1.
Welder:

5. Agricultural
worker

2.
Mechanic

3. Port
worker

8.
Miner

6. Office
worker
7. Construction
worker

4. Textile
worker

 Now that you have begun to consider the possible

hazards in different workplaces, try to answer the
following questions about your own workplace.
Describe the job you do.
What hazards do you know exist in you workplace?
Are there other conditions at work that you suspect
may be hazardous but you are not sure about?

Occupational Safety, Health and

Environment Multiple Choice
Questions
1. Workplace health and safety legislation
imposes a duty of care on .
a. Employer
b. Employee
c.

All parties at work place

d. Visitors to work place

Ans:
(c)

2. Hazardous substances are deemed

to be
a. Only chemicals that cause diseases
b. Only those substances that are on the
NOHSC list
c. Only those that have set exposure
standards
Ans:
d. Only those that case chronic illness.
(b)

3. The protective clothing routinely

required
to
be
used
when
reprocessing flexible endoscopes
does not include
a.
b.
c.
d.

Half-face respirator
Gloves
Fluid resistant aprons
Specifically designed masks

Ans:
(a)

4. Accidents
a. Cannot be avoided
b. Only happed to people who deserve
them.
c. Are largely preventable
d. Are completely unpredictable

Ans:
(c)

5. Workplace related injuries, illnesses

and deaths impose costs upon?
a. Employers
b. Employees
c. The community
d. All of the above

Ans:
(d)

6. What are the most common injuries

in the hospitality industry:
a. Sprains and strains
b. Being hit by falling objects
c. Falls
d. Sun-related injuries

Ans: (a), (b) and

(c)

7. What does the

provision

of security of

peoples assets while at the workplace entail?

a.

Having all assets under lock and key

b.

Preventing theft, pilferage and damage of assets

c.

Being vigilant with the security of the assets

d.

Issuing security badges and identity cards to all

people at the workplace

Ans: (b)
and (c)

8. What is the primary emergency

telephone number in Australia?
a. 011
b. 101
c. 000
d. 111

Ans:
(c)

9. What is the role of the workplaces health and safety

representative?
a.

To represent the workers views and concerns on the

workplaces OH&S practices to employer

b.

To document the workplaces OH&S policies and practices

c.

To check on whether all workers are complying with the

workplaces OH&S policies and practices

d.

To train and assess all workers in their knowledge of the

workplaces OH&S policies and practices
Ans:
(a)

Occupational Safety, Health and

Environment True and False
Questions

1. Emergency procedures have been devised to keep

everyone safe.
2. A hazard is any situation that has the potential to cause
injury, illness, or death.
3. If

no

notification

is

made

of

an

injury

sustained

compensation can be obtained for that injury.

4. To reduce injury, a risk control process accompanied by
hazard-management procedures needs to be established.
5. Safety signs can prevent accidents.

6. A duty of care in the workplace is the responsibility of the employer only.

7. The direct costs of workplace-related injuries are workers compensation
premiums paid and workers compensation payment.
8. When providing a safe working environment for staff, employers must
eliminate all risks to health and safety.
9. The safety and wellbeing of people in the workplace also includes guests
and customers of the workplace.
10.If you have to evacuate the workplace during an emergency, ensure that
you take all of your personal belongings before evacuating the building.

1. True 3. False 5. True 7. True 9. True

2. True 4. True 6. False 8. False10.False