New Delhi: Minister of State (IC) for Labour & Employment Shri Bandaru Dattatreya today inaugurated three days International Vision Zero Conference on Occupational Safety and Health in New Delhi. It is organized by Directorate General Factory Advice and Labour Institutes (DGFASLI), Government of India, Ministry of Labour and Employment and German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), Germany in association with International Social Security Association – Manufacturing, Construction and Mining.
Speaking on the occasion Shri Bandaru Dattatreya Said that it has always been the priority of the Ministry of Labour & Employment to continuously improve the Occupational Safety, Health and Working conditions of the workforce of our country. He said that keeping in tune with the changing socio-economic scenario in the country and technological changes globally: the Government of India is making serious efforts to bring about labour reforms to achieve higher level of labour standards. The Minister said that the Government is determined to boost the manufacturing sector in the country by pursuing its global agenda on ‘Make in India’ campaign. The Labour laws are being reformed by bringing in more transparency through the application of information technology in the administration of these laws. This rationalization process will improve the working condition of workers as well as encourage the investors to invest in the country.
Addressing the Conference Smt. M. Sathiyavathy, Secretary, Labour & Employment said that as per the information collected by DGFASLI there has been a successive reduction in the incidence of fatal accidents in the factories registered under the Factories Act, 1948. The number of fatal accidents during the year 2014 was 1211, during the year 2013 was 1417, during the year 2012 was 1383 and during the year 2011 was 1433. This falling trend in the number of accidents is despite the increase in the number of factories during the same period, i.e., 325209 in 2011, 353684 in 2012, 340226 in 2013 and 361994 in 2014. She said that Government’s intentions and commitment towards occupational safety and health (OSH) of the workers employed in all economic sectors have been augmented by the adoption of the National Policy on Safety, Health and Environment at Workplace in the year 2009.
An exhibition on OSH – INOSH EXPO 2017 is also being organised during the conference to show-case new trends in Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs), Occupational Health Promotion, High-risk Management, Environmental Protection Technologies, all under one roof. The exhibition provides the most efficient platform to support technological communication and business trade. About 100 leading manufacturers /suppliers from India and Europe are participating in the INOSH Expo.
