(a) whether the International Labour Organisation has urged the Government to incorporate
preventive measures in their occupational safety and health policies;
(a) if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon;
(b) whether women suffer from work related communicable diseases and psychosocial factors;
and
(c) if so, the steps the Government is taking to protect women from work related diseases?
MINISTER OF THE STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI OSCAR FERNANDES)
(a) & (b): There is no specific request from the International Labour Organisation
to the Government of India to incorporate preventive measures in the occupational safety
and health policies. However, the International Labour Standards on Occupational Safety
and Health adopted by the International Labour Conference from time to time emphasise the
need for preventive measures in the Occupational Safety and Health policies of the member
countries of the International Labour Organisation. Such a need is incorporated in the
Convention No. 155 of the International Labour Organisation. The Government of India have
not ratified this Convention for various reasons, including the fact that the national
laws are presently not totally in consonance with the provisions of the above ILO
Convention.
(c) to (f): The Factories Act, 1948 requires that where any worker in a factory
contracts any disease specified in Schedule III thereof, the manager or the medical
practioner concerned, shall send details of the same to the Chief Inspector of the
Factories of the concerned state to ensure that facilities are provided to protect
the safety and health of such workers. These provisions of the Factories Act are
applicable to all workers irrespective of their gender. The Schedule III contains
29 diseases, including certain case of poisoning.