ILO OCCUPATIONAL, SAFETY AND HEALTH

 

ILO

NOTE ON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS - 1

 AIMS OF INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION :

1.            The main aims of the ILO are to promote

a.   Rights at work

b.   Encourage decent employment opportunities

c.   Enhance social protection 

d.   Strengthen dialogue on work-related issues.

 

2.   WORKERS, GOVERNMENT AND EMPLOYEES forms it vital tripartite structure to ensure that the views of all partners are closely reflected in labour standards and in shaping policies and programmes.

.WHAT IS IT FOR INDUSTRIES ??

1. A conducive atmosphere with a good social environment is necessary for creating SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZATIONS to provide employment, this will, in turn, encourage investment and entrepreneurship and also provides the necessary impetus to create new enterprises. ILO ensures that these requirements are met.
2. ILO conventions and recommendations help enterprises to provide BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS IN TERMS OF GOOD OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH PROVISIONS, GOOD INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES.

 (OHS) CONVENTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

CONVENTION	RECOMMENDATION
OHS 155 (CONVENTION):  Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981	OHS 164 (RECOMMENDATION): Occupational Safety and Health Recommendation, 1981
OHS 161 (CONVENTION): Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985	OHS 171 (RECOMMENDATION): Occupational Health Services Recommendation, 1985
OHS 167 (CONVENTION): Safety and Health in Construction Convention, 1988	OHS 175 (RECOMMENDATION): Safety and Health in Construction Recommendation, 1988

 

1) OHS 155 ( CONVENTION):  Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981

The aims of this Convention are: 

1.      To formulate and  implement a national occupational safety and health policy in consultation with most employers and workers

2.      The implemented national OHS policy should be periodically reviewed

3.      The policy shall aim to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of the working environment, by trying to minimize the hazards as low as reasonably possible

4.      The main action areas of this convention are

• The proper arrangement, installation and maintenance of tools, machinery, chemical, biological and physical agents
• Adaptation of machinery, time and work as per the physical and mental capacities of the workers
• Training to all persons to reach adequate levels of safety and health
• Communication and cooperation with all groups inside and outside the organization
• Protection of workers from disciplinary measures while trying to follow safety rules

 

1.2) OHS 164 (RECOMMENDATION): Occupational Safety and Health Recommendation, 1981

The aims of this Recommendation are

 

ILO R164 sets that the employee should:

• Take reasonable care for their safety and that of other people who might be affected by business undertakings.
• Comply with procedures and instructions provided to take care of themselves and others.
• Use of safety devices and Personal Protective equipment correctly and not to misuse it.
• Report any situation to the supervisor or employer which they believe, could present imminent danger which they cannot themselves correct.
• Report any accident or occupational ill health which arises as part of the employment.

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2) OHS 161 (CONVENTION): Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985 

The aims of this Convention are: 

1. To provide occupational health services  as a  requirement for establishing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment which will facilitate optimal physical and mental health concerning work and the  adaptation of work to the capabilities of workers in the light of their state of physical and mental health
2. It highlights the need to implement occupational health services as a responsibility of the employer and the responsibility of the workers to participate in matters related to occupational health services
3. The functions of occupational health services are
1. Identification and assessment of risks.
2. Surveillance of health risks of workers
3. Surveillance of working environment
4. Programs to improve working practices.
5. Providing information, training and education in the fields of occupational health and hygiene and ergonomics.
6. Organizing First aid measures.

 

2.1) OHS 171 (RECOMMENDATION): Occupational Health Services Recommendation, 1985 

The aims of this Recommendation are

1. All nations accepting this recommendation should ensure that occupational health services for all workers related to all economic activities should be appropriately arranged for the task that is undertaken
2. These provisions  should also be  available to self-employed persons
3. Health surveillance of the working environment and surveillance of worker's health is utmost priority like understanding
1. The effect of working environment on health
2. The standards of occupational hygiene
3. Assessment of personal protective equipment and usage
4. Exposure to hazardous and monitoring methods
4. Provision of proper training and retraining of first-aid personnel on regular basis and continuing training of all workers in the undertaking who contribute to occupational safety and health.

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3)OHS 167 (CONVENTION): Safety and Health in Construction Convention, 1988

The aims of this Convention are: 

1. This Convention applies to all construction activities, namely building, civil engineering, and erection and dismantling work, including any process, operation or transport on a construction site, from the preparation of the site to the completion of the project.
2. These provisions  should also be  available to self-employed persons
3. There should be a national policy that  provides responsibility on
1. Employers: They have to comply with the prescribed safety and health measures at the workplace.
2. Workers: They have the right and the duty at any workplace to participate in ensuring safe working conditions related to equipment and work and to express views on the working procedures adopted as they may affect safety and health.
3. Others: Those concerned with the design and planning of a construction project shall take into account the safety and health of the construction workers following national laws, regulations and practice
4. This Convention also talks about appropriate precautions to be taken to ensure that all workplaces are safe while using scaffolds, ladders, lifting appliances and gear, tools, earth moving equipment and while doing work at height, work in compressed air, demolition etc.

 

3.1) OHS 175 (RECOMMENDATION): Safety and Health in Construction Recommendation, 1988

The aims of this Recommendation are: 

 

Proper measures to be taken to ensure that there is organized co-operation between employers and workers to promote safety and health at construction sites like providing

 

·        The establishment of safety and health committees representative of employers and workers

·        The election or appointment of workers' safety delegates.

·        The appointment by the employer of suitably qualified and experienced persons to promote safety and health.

·        The appropriate training of safety delegates and safety committee members.

 

Disclaimer:  The information represented above is only guidance for students/HSE practitioners for getting some information relevant to the rules. The information represented above does not constitute professional advice and cannot be quoted or used for any application purpose (or) statutory requirements (or) dispute resolution.

Article by PJ Mohan 

Sr.Faculty, NIFS