World day for Health and Safety at Work is celebrated every year on 28th April to prevent accidents and diseases and maintain a safe and healthy working surrounding for all workers.
In 2021, World Day for Health and Safety at Work wants to function around “Anticipate, prepare and respond to crises – Invest Now in Resilient Occupational Safety and Health Systems.”
Background:
The day was first acknowledged by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in 2003. The motto behind the observation of this day is to educate workers about their rights and safety guidelines to avoid accidents and diseases at the workplace.
Why are workers’ health and safety important?
According to a study obtained by ILO, from 2.78 work-related deaths reported each year, 2.4 deaths are due to occupational diseases. Physical hazards or chemical reactions can hold occupational diseases or accidents.
Even the constitution of India states specific laws that ensure workers’ health and safety. According to Article 21, an employer must take care of the well-being of the workers.
Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923, Factories Act, 1948, and the Mines Act, 1952 are also directing to maintain employment and occupational safety rights for formal workers.
During a survey, it is found that 93% of women, whether formal or even informal, face sexual harassment in the workplace. Also, over 29% of women domestic helpers are victims of sexual harassment. Although The Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 ensures womens’ safety at the occupational place, it would take time to build a safe workplace not only for women but for all genders.
What to do to have a safe and healthy workplace?
For a person who spends most of the time at the workplace, it’s crucial to have a safe workplace.
The following steps should be considered to upgrade the workplace environment and make it healthy and safe:-
- The employer should be aware of workers’ rights and responsibilities and provide all necessary knowledge to workers.
- Organize skill-building programs with maintaining required safety guidelines.
- Provide equal facilities, i.e., irrespective of gender, disability, or physical appearance.
- Focus more on the safety and well-being of workers than productivity.
- Try to take decisions mutually and through open communication.
- You can source help from organizations working in this department to build an improved workplace environment.
Over a year, the wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted our focus towards the safety of workers. The matter of safety and health of workers shouldn’t be brought up only during epidemics but throughout the year. By that, we can build a healthy and safe work environment.
