Lok Sabha
The Preventive measures taken by authorities to protect the health of workers engaged in ship breaking industry are as under:
• Ministry of Labour and Employment has amended the model rule on ship breaking.
• Directorate General Factory Advice Service & Labour Institutes has identified Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) for different operations carried out in the ship breaking yards. Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) has agreed to enforce the use of PPEs in the ship breaking yards and use the penal provisions available in the “Gujarat Maritime Board Ship Recycling Regulations 2003.”
• Government of Gujarat has notified Rule 68-H under the Gujarat State Factory Rules pertaining to ship building, ship repairing and ship breaking.
• The Government of Gujarat has established a separate Inspectorate of Factories at Alang headed by the Deputy Director for exclusive enforcement of the provisions in ship breaking yards. The competent persons are also declared by the Chief Inspector of Factories for the purpose for issuing certificates like Naked Light, Testing and examination of pressure vessels and lifting appliances, etc. As a result of inspection and monitoring by Inspector of Factories, some of the practices being followed in Alang included wet method for removal of Asbestos, hot work certification and use of personal protective equipments.
• Workers engaged in removal of asbestos are regularly medically examined by doctors. So far, no worker is found to be suffering from asbestosis.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shri Oscar Fernandes (Independent Charge) in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
VBA/BS
(Release ID :43892)