A Project on

EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND SECURITY

AT

WORKPLACE

In the Subject Human Resource Management

Submitted to

University of Mumbai

For semester II Of

Master of Commerce

By

Shruti Vikram

(Management 166)

Under Guidance of Prof Vora

Year 2012 - 2013

ABSTRACT

The workplace environment impacts employee morale, productivity and engagement - both

positively and negatively. The work place environment in a majority of industry is unsafe and

unhealthy. These includes poorly designed workstations, unsuitable furniture, lack of ventilation,

inappropriate lighting, excessive noise, insufficient safety measures in fire emergencies and lack

of personal protective equipment. People working in such environment are prone to occupational

disease and it impacts on employee’s performance. Thus productivity is decreased due to the

workplace environment. It is the quality of the employee’s workplace environment that most

impacts on their level of motivation and subsequent performance. How well they engage with the

organization, especially with their immediate environment, influences to a great extent their error

rate, level of innovation and collaboration with other employees, absenteeism and ultimately,

how long they stay in the job. Creating a work environment in which employees are productive

is essential to increased profits for your organization, corporation or small business. The

relationship between work, the workplace and the tools of work, workplace becomes an integral

part of work itself. The management that dictate how, exactly, to maximize employee

productivity center around two major areas of focus: personal motivation and the infrastructure

of the work environment.

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INDEX

SERIAL NO TOPIC PAGE NO

1 INTRODUCTION 2

2 OSHA STANDARD IN INDIA 4

3 CASE STUDY OF UNION CARBIDE INDIA LTD

INTRODUTION TO COMPNAY

WORK CONDITIONS

ACCIDENT

LOOPHOLES RESPONSIBLE FOR

ACCIDENT

HEALTH EFFECTS

AFTERMATH

COMPENSATION

8

4 GLIMPSE OF OTHER SECTORS 23

5 RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGEMENT 28

6 WORKPLACE SMOKING 48

7 CONCLUSION 51

8 BIBLOGRAPHY 52

1. INTRODUCTION

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First of all everyone needs to know that safety is associated with three different M’s they are

man, machine and material. Every worker has the right to work in a healthy and secure

environment. It is the prime duty of the employers to give their labor force an environment that is

safe, healthy and friendly. Workers safety and health should be the prime concern of all the

employers. A worker of an industry or organization is liable to work in an environment where his

safety and health are properly taken care of. The responsibility of the safety and health of the

worker is not only the sole responsibility of the employer; it is also the responsibility of the

workers to take care of their own health and safety. A safe and healthy environment can only be

achieved with the proper coordination of the workers, but the prime responsibility is on the hands

of the employers. They need to take the initiative and invest in the industry, in terms of

eliminating risks that are attached with the work procedures.

Ultimately accidents with the employees not only leads to loss of time, damage to machines in

certain cases, delay in work increasing expenses but also the amount of money need to be given

to the employee as compensation which is an additional overhead and sometimes even loss of a

precious human life which are not even being taken care of by many higher authorities. This

project encompasses all the vital aspect related to each and every prospect with the help of a case

study. In India, occupational accidents, ergonomic hazards and occupational diseases are

important factors influencing the health of the industrial workers.

Diseases like byssinosis and pneumoconiosis are rampant among the industrial workers in India.

Among other types of occupational diseases prevalent in India are diseases of the circulatory

system, digestive system, urinary tracts, nervous system and sense organs (hearing loss, CNS

effects), blood diseases, etc. However, the present health for the Indian workers is not adequate

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enough to cope with the ever-increasing occupational diseases and health problems. The only

health facilities offered specifically to the workers are the health centers under the Employees’

State Insurance Scheme.

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2. OSHA (OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT) STANDARDS

IN INDIA

India has had legislation on occupational safety and health for 50 years. But regulatory

authorities are limited to 1,400 safety officers, 1,154 factory inspectors, and 27 medical

inspectors. These numbers are grossly inadequate even for the inspection of formal units that

only employ about 10% of India’s total workforce (around 26 million), let alone the millions

who work in the informal sector with absolutely no safeguards. It is estimated that unsafe work

conditions is one of the leading causes of death and disability among India’s working population.

These deaths are needless and preventable. Unlike growth rates and GDP figures that are

flaunted every quarter, the figures of dying and ailing workers who make this growth possible

are never recorded or spoken about. The only way to get an idea of the scale of the problem is

from data released by the ILO (2), which estimates that around 403,000 people in India die every

year due to work-related problems. To give some idea of the scale -- more than 1,000 workers

die every day from work-related diseases; that’s about 46 every hour!

LEGAL FRAMEWORK

Safety and health occupy a significant place in India’s Constitution, which prohibits employment

of children under the age of 14 in factories, mines and hazardous occupations. This policy aims

to protect the health and strength of all workers by discouraging employment in occupations

unsuitable to the worker’s age and strength. It is the policy of the

State to make provisions to secure just and humane conditions at

work. The principal health and safety laws are based on the British

Factories Act. The Factories Act, 1948 has been amended from time

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to time, especially after the Bhopal gas disaster. The amendment demanded a shift from dealing

with disaster to prevention of its occurrence. The Factories (Amendment) Act came into force on

December 1, 1987. A special chapter on occupational health and safety to safeguard workers

employed in hazardous industries was added. In this chapter, pre-employment and periodic

medical examinations and monitoring of the work environment are mandatory for industries

defined as hazardous under the Act. A maximum permissible limit has been laid down for a

number of chemicals. The Act is implemented by state factory inspectorates, supported by

industrial hygiene laboratories. There are similar provisions under the Mines Act. The Factories

Act is applicable only to factories that employ 10 or more workers; it covers only a small

proportion of workers. The Directorate General of Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes

(DGFASLI) assists the labour ministry in formulating national policies on occupational safety

and health in factories and docks, and enforcing them through inspectorates of factories and

inspectorates of dock safety. Similarly, the Director General of Mines Safety (DGMS), Ministry

of Labour, is responsible for the health and safety of mine workers and implementation of the

Mines Act, 1952.

OSHA OBJECTIVES

The organization shall develop and document OSH goals and objectives, in consistent with the

OSH policy. The goals and objectives shall be periodically reviewed and communicated to

employees and other stakeholders. The intent of OSH goals and objectives is to meet OSH

performance expectations, and therefore these must be measurable for each function in the

organization viz.

reduction of risk levels;

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introduction of additional features into the OSHMS

steps taken to improve existing features, or the consistency of their application;

elimination or the reduction in frequency of undesired incident(s)

KEY OSH LEGISLATIONS

Factories Act, 1948, amended in 1954, 1970, 1976, 1987

Mines Act, 1952

Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act, 1986

Plantation Labour Act, 1951

Explosives Act, 1884

Petroleum Act, 1934

Insecticide Act, 1968

Indian Boilers Act, 1923

Indian Electricity Act, 1910

Dangerous Machines (Regulations) Act, 1983

Indian Atomic Energy Act, 1962

Radiological Protection Rules, 1971

Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989

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ILO CONVENTIONS

The International Labor Organization frames key conventions for protecting the rights of

workers; many of them are specifically on occupational health and safety. These conventions

once ratified by member states, form guiding principles for the formulation of national policies

and laws. The ILO has 18 conventions that are targeted at addressing the issue of occupational

safety and health (OSH). Though India has ratified 41 ILO conventions and treaties on labor

welfare and labor rights to date, it has ratified only three conventions on OSH. India is still to

ratify important conventions like Convention 155 on occupational safety and health and the

working environment, Convention 161 on occupational health services, Convention 167 on

safety and health in construction, Convention 176 on safety and health in mines, Convention 184

on safety and health in agriculture, Convention 187, the promotional framework for occupational

safety and health.

LACKS IMPLEMENTATION

In spite of having a good legal framework for the protection of workers, India suffers from the

chronic problem of lacking implementations. Regulatory bodies, including the inspectorates, are

ill-equipped and severely understaffed. According to a DGFASLI report (1998), the country has

1,400 safety officers, 1,154 factory inspectors, and 27 medical inspectors. These numbers are

grossly inadequate even for the inspection of formal units that only employ about 10% of India’s

total workforce

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3. CASE STUDY

INTRODUCTION TO THE COMPANY

Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) was established in 1934, when Union Carbide Corporation

(UCC) became one of the first U.S. companies to invest in India. UCIL shares were publicly

traded on the Calcutta Stock Exchange. UCIL was a diversified manufacturing company,

employing approximately 9,000 people and operating 14 plants in five divisions. The Bhopal

plant was built in the late 1970's and was owned and operated by UCIL, an Indian company in

which Union Carbide held just over half of the stock. Indian financial institutions and thousands

of private investors in India owned the remainder of the stock. 50.9% was owned by Union

Carbide Corporation (UCC) and 49.1% by various Indian investors at the time, UCIL was the

Indian subsidiary of the U.S. company UCC, itself now a subsidiary of Dow Chemical Company.

The plant produced pesticide Sevin using methyl isocyanate (MIC) as an intermediatefor use in

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India to help the country's agricultural sector increase its productivity and contribute more

significantly to meeting the food needs of one of the world's most heavily populated regions.

WORK CONDITIONS

Attempts to reduce expenses affected the factory's employees and their conditions. Kurzman

argues that "cuts...meant less stringent quality control and thus looser safety rules. A pipe

leaked? Don't replace it; employees said they were told ... MIC workers needed more training?

They could do with less. Promotions were halted,

seriously affecting employee morale and driving

some of the most skilled ... elsewhere". Workers

were forced to use English manuals, even though

only a few had a grasp of the language.

By 1984, only six of the original twelve operators

were still working with MIC and the number of supervisory personnel was also cut in half. No

maintenance supervisor was placed on the night shift and instrument readings were taken every

two hours, rather than the previous and required one-hour readings. Workers made complaints

about the cuts through their union but were ignored. One employee was fired after going on a 15-

day hunger strike. 70% of the plant's employees were fined before the disaster for refusing to

deviate from the proper safety regulations under pressure from management. In addition, some

observers, such as those writing in the Trade Environmental Database (TED) Case Studies as

part of the Mandala Project from American University, have pointed to "serious communication

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problems and management gaps between Union Carbide and its Indian operation", characterized

by "the parent companies hands-off approach to its overseas operation" and "cross-cultural

barriers". The personnel management policy led to an exodus of skilled personnel to better and

safer jobs.

PREVIOUS WARNINGS AND INCIDENTS:

A series of prior warnings and MIC-related accidents had occurred:

In 1976, the two trade unions reacted because of pollution within the plant.

In 1981, a worker was splashed with phosgene. In panic he ripped off his mask, thus

inhaling a large amount of phosgene gas; he died 72 hours later.

In January 1982, there was a phosgene leak, when 24 workers were exposed and had to

be admitted to hospital. None of the workers had been ordered to wear protective masks.

In February 1982, an MIC leak affected 18 workers.

In August 1982, a chemical engineer came into contact with liquid MIC, resulting in

burns over 30 percent of his body.

In October 1982, there was a leak of MIC, methylcarbaryl chloride, chloroform and

hydrochloric acid. In attempting to stop the leak, the MIC supervisor suffered intensive

chemical burns and two other workers were severely exposed to the gases.

During 1983 and 1984, leaks of the following substances regularly took place in the MIC

plant: MIC, chlorine, mono methylamine, phosgene, and carbon tetrachloride, sometimes

in combination.

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Reports issued months before the incident by UCC engineers warned of the possibility of

an accident almost identical to that which occurred in Bhopal. The reports never reached

UCC's senior management.

UCC was warned by American experts who visited the plant after 1981 of the potential of

a "runaway reaction" in the MIC storage tank. Local Indian authorities warned the

company of problems on several occasions from 1979 onwards.

ACCIDENT

Just four hours after the leak of methyl isocyanate (MIC), the works manager at Union Carbide’s

Bhopal plant said: “Our safety measures are the best in the country.” Barely 100 yards from his

office, had thousands of people lain dead and dying? Tens of thousands more were being

crippled for life. People were terrified, as they woke up to find themselves surrounded by dense

poison clouds. Neither Union Carbide nor the local authorities provided direction, support, help

or guidance that night or in the following days. In the intervening years, victims’ organizations

have fought relentlessly for justice, recognition and support. They have received little either

through the legal process or from the Indian government. Today, the toxic legacy of the disaster

continues with tens of thousands of survivors suffering from chronic illnesses, the persistent

presence of poisons in the soil and water and breast milk, the alarming rise in cancers and

congenital problems among children born to exposed people. An initiative in the city, the Bhopal

People’s Health and Documentation Clinic, started by the Samb havna Trust, demonstrates an

important practical way of supporting and working with communities victimized by corporate

crime.

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During the night of December 2–3, 1984, water entered a tank 610 containing 42 tons of MIC

much more than safety rules allowed. Most of the safety systems were not functioning. Many

valves and lines were in poor condition. A runaway reaction started, which was accelerated by

contaminants, high temperatures and other factors. The resulting exothermic reaction increased

the temperature inside the tank to over 200 °C (392 °F) and raised the pressure. The tank vented

releasing toxic gases into the atmosphere. The gases were blown by northwesterly winds over

Bhopal. The reaction was sped up by the presence of iron from corroding non-stainless steel

pipelines. It is known that workers cleaned pipelines with water. They were not told by the

supervisor to add a slip-blind water isolation plate. Because of this, and the bad maintenance, the

workers consider it possible for water to have accidentally entered the MIC tank. UCC maintains

that a "disgruntled worker" deliberately connected a hose to a pressure gauge.

Theories differ as to how the water entered the tank. At the time, workers were cleaning out a

clogged pipe with water about 400 feet from the tank. The operators assumed that owing to bad

maintenance and leaking valves, it was possible for the water to leak into the tank. However, this

water entry route could not be reproduced. UCC also maintains that this route was not possible,

but instead alleges water was introduced directly into the tank as an act of sabotage by a

disgruntled worker via a connection to a missing pressure gauge on the top of the tank. Early the

next morning, a UCIL manager asked the instrument engineer to replace the gauge. UCIL's

investigation team found no evidence of the necessary connection; however, the investigation

was totally controlled by the government denying UCC investigators access to the tank or

interviews with the operators.

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LOOP HOLES RESPONSIBLE FOR

THE ACCIDENT

It emerged in 1998, during civil action suits

in India that the plant was not prepared for

problems. No action plans had been established to cope with incidents of this magnitude. This

included not informing local authorities of the quantities or dangers of chemicals used and

manufactured at Bhopal.

The MIC tank alarms had not worked for four years.

There was only one manual back-up system, compared to a four-stage system used in the

US.

The flare tower and the vent gas scrubber had been out of service for five months before

the disaster. The gas scrubber therefore did not treat escaping gases with sodium

hydroxide (caustic soda), which might have brought the concentration down to a safe

level. The maximum pressure the scrubber could handle, provided it had been operating,

was only a quarter of the pressure during the leak. The flare tower could only hold a

quarter of the gas that leaked in 1984.

To reduce energy costs, the refrigeration system was idle. The MIC was kept at 20

degrees Celsius, not the 4.5 degrees advised by the manual.

The steam boiler, intended to clean the pipes, was out of action for unknown reasons.

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Slip-blind plates that would have prevented water from pipes being cleaned from leaking

into the MIC tanks through faulty valves were not installed. Their installation had been

omitted from the cleaning checklist.

The water pressure was too weak to spray the escaping gases from the stack. They could

not spray high enough to reduce the concentration of escaping gas.

According to the operators the MIC tank pressure gauge had been malfunctioning for

roughly a week. Other tanks were used rather than repairing the gauge. The build-up in

temperature and pressure is believed to have affected the magnitude of the gas release.

UCC investigation studies have disputed this hypothesis.

Carbon steel valves were used at the factory, even though they corrode when exposed to

acid.

UCC admitted in their own investigation report that most of the safety systems were not

functioning on the night of December 3, 1984.

The design of the MIC plant, following government guidelines, was "Indianized" by

UCIL engineers to maximize the use of indigenous materials and products. Mumbai

based Humphreys and Glasgow Consultants PVT. Ltd. were the main consultants, Larsen

and Toubro fabricated the MIC storage tanks, and Taylor of India Ltd. provided the

instrumentation.

Other factors identified by the inquiry included: use of a more dangerous pesticide

manufacturing method, large-scale MIC storage, plant location close to a densely

populated area, undersized safety devices, and the dependence on manual operations.

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Plant management deficiencies were also identified – lack of skilled operators, reduction

of safety management, insufficient maintenance, and inadequate emergency action plans.

The chemical process, or "route", used in the Bhopal plant reacted methylamine with

phosgene to form MIC (methyl isocyanate), which was then reacted with 1-naphthol to

form the final product, carbaryl. This route differs from MIC-free routes used elsewhere,

in which the same raw materials are combined in a different manufacturing order, with

phosgene first reacted with the naphthol to form chloroform ate ester, which is then

reacted with methyl amine. In the early 1980s, the demand for pesticides had fallen, but

production continued, leading to buildup of stores of unused MIC.

SEVERAL OTHER FACTORS

Storing MIC in large tanks and filling beyond recommended levels

Poor maintenance after the plant ceased MIC production at the end of 1984

Failure of several safety systems (due to poor maintenance)

Safety systems being switched off to save money—including the MIC tank refrigeration

system which could have mitigated the disaster severity.

The problem was made worse by the mushrooming of slums in the vicinity of the plant, non-

existent catastrophe plans, and shortcomings in health care and socio-economic rehabilitation.

HEALTH EFFECTS

SHORT TERM HEALTH EFFECTS

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Reversible reaction of glutathione (top) with methyl isocyanate (MIC, middle) allows the MIC to

be transported into the body. The leakage caused many short term health effects in the

surrounding areas. Apart from MIC, the gas cloud may have contained phosgene, hydrogen

cyanide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen chloride, oxides of nitrogen, monomethyl amine (MMA)

and carbon dioxide, either produced in the storage tank or in the atmosphere. The gas cloud was

composed mainly of materials denser than the surrounding air, stayed close to the ground and

spread outwards through the surrounding community.

The initial effects of exposure were coughing, vomiting, severe eye irritation and a feeling of

suffocation. People awakened by these symptoms fled away from the plant. Those who ran

inhaled more than those who had a vehicle to ride. Owing to their height, children and other

people of shorter stature inhaled higher concentrations. Many people were trampled trying to

escape. There were mass funerals and mass cremations as well as disposal of bodies in the

Narmada River. 170,000 people were treated at hospitals and temporary dispensaries. 2,000

buffalo, goats, and other animals were collected and buried. Within a few days, leaves on trees

yellowed and fell off. Supplies, including food, became scarce owing to suppliers' safety fears.

Fishing was prohibited causing further supply shortages.

A total of 36 wards were marked by the authorities as being "gas affected", affecting a

population of 520,000. Of these, 200,000 were below 15 years of age, and 3,000 were pregnant

women. In 1991, 3,928 deaths had been certified. Independent organizations recorded 8,000 dead

in the first days. Other estimations vary between 10,000 and 30,000. Another 100,000 to 200,000

people are estimated to have permanent injuries of different degrees. The acute symptoms were

burning in the respiratory tract and eyes, blepharospasm, breathlessness, stomach pains and

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vomiting. The causes of deaths were choking, reflexogenic circulatory collapse and pulmonary

oedema. Findings during autopsies revealed changes not only in the lungs but also cerebral

oedema, tubular necrosis of the kidneys, fatty degeneration of the liver and necrotising enteritis.

LONG TERM HEALTH EFFECTS

It is estimated 100,000 to 200,000 people have permanent injuries. Reported symptoms are eye

problems, respiratory difficulties, immune and neurological disorders, cardiac failure secondary

to lung injury, female reproductive difficulties and birth defects among children born to affected

women. The Indian Government and UCC deny permanent injuries were caused by MIC or the

other gases.

AFTERMATH OF THE LEAKAGE

Medical staffs were unprepared for the thousands of casualties.

Doctors and hospitals were not informed of proper treatment methods for MIC gas

inhalation. They were told to simply give cough medicine and eye drops to their patients.

The gases immediately caused visible damage to the trees. Within a few days, all the

leaves fell off.

2,000 bloated animal carcasses had to be disposed of.

"Operation Faith": On December 16, the tanks 611 and 619 were emptied of the

remaining MIC. This led to a second mass evacuation from Bhopal.

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Complaints of a lack of information or misinformation were widespread. The Bhopal

plant medical doctor did not have proper information about the properties of the gases.

An Indian Government spokesman said that "Carbide is more interested in getting

information from us than in helping our relief work."

As of 2008, UCC had not released information about the possible composition of the

cloud.

Formal statements were issued that air, water, vegetation and foodstuffs were safe within

the city. At the same time, people were informed that poultry was unaffected, but were

warned not to consume fish.

COMPENSATION FROM UNION CARBIDE

The Government of India passed the Bhopal

Gas Leak Disaster Act that gave the government rights to represent all victims in or

outside India.

UCC offered US $350 million, the insurance sum. The Government of India claimed US$

3.3 billion from UCC. In 1989, a settlement was reached under which UCC agreed to pay

US$470 million (the insurance sum, plus interest) in a full and final settlement of its civil

and criminal liability.

When UCC wanted to sell its shares in UCIL, it was directed by the Supreme Court to

finance a 500-bed hospital for the medical care of the survivors. Bhopal Memorial

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Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC) was inaugurated in 1998. It was obliged to give

free care for survivors for eight years.

A] ECONOMIC REHABILITATION

After the accident, no one under the age of 18 was registered. The number of children

exposed to the gases was at least 200,000.

Immediate relief was decided two days after the tragedy.

Relief measures commenced in 1985 when food was distributed for a short period and

ration cards were distributed.

Widow pension of the rate of Rs 200/per month (later Rs 750) was provided.

One-time ex-gratia payment of Rs 1,500 to families with monthly income Rs 500 or less

was decided.

Each claimant was to be categorised by a doctor. In court, the claimants were expected to

prove "beyond reasonable doubt" that death or injury in each case was attributable to

exposure. In 1992, 44 percent of the claimants still had to be medically examined.

From 1990 interim relief of Rs 200 was paid to everyone in the family who was born

before the disaster.

The final compensation (including interim relief) for personal injury was for the majority

Rs 25,000 (US$ 830). For death claim, the average sum paid out was Rs 62,000 (US$

2,058).

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Effects of interim relief were more children sent to school, more money spent on

treatment, more money spent on food, improvement of housing conditions.

The management of registration and distribution of relief showed many shortcomings.

In 2007, 1,029,517 cases were registered and decided. Numbers of awarded cases were

574,304 and number of rejected cases 455,213. Total compensation awarded was Rs.1,

546.47 crores.

On June 24, the Union Cabinet of the Government of India approved Rs1265cr aid

package. It will be funded by Indian taxpayers through the government.

B] OCCUPATIONAL REHABILITATION

33 of the 50 planned work-sheds for gas victims started. All except one was closed down

by 1992.

1986, the MP government invested in the Special Industrial Area Bhopal. 152 of the

planned 200 work-sheds were built. In 2000, 16 were partially functioning.

It is estimated that 50,000 persons need alternative jobs, and that less than 100 gas

victims have found regular employment under the government's scheme.

C] HABITATION REHABILITATION

2,486 flats in two- and four-story buildings were constructed in the "Widows colony" outside

Bhopal. The water did not reach the upper floors. It was not possible to keep cattle.

Infrastructures like buses, schools, etc. were missing for at least a decade.

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HEALTH CARE

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the health care system became tremendously

overloaded. Within weeks, the State Government established a number of hospitals,

clinics and mobile units in the gas-affected area.

Radical health groups set up JSK (the People's Health Centre) that was working a few

years from 1985.

Since the leak, a very large number of private practitioners have opened in Bhopal. In the

severely affected areas, nearly 70 percent do not appear to be professionally qualified.

The Government of India has focused primarily on increasing the hospital-based services

for gas victims. Several hospitals have been built after the disaster. In 1994, there were

approximately 1.25 beds per 1,000, compared to the recommendation from the World

Bank of 1.0 bed per 1,000 in developing countries.

The Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC) is a 350-bedded super

speciality hospital. Heart surgery and hemodialysis are done. Major specialities missing

are gynecology, obstetrics and pediatrics. Eight mini-units (outreach health centers) were

started. Free health care for gas victims should be offered until 2006. The management

has faced problems with strikes, and the quality of the health care is disputed.

Sambhavna Trust is a charitable trust that registered in 1995. The clinic gives modern and

Ayurvedic treatments to gas victims, free of charge.

D] ENVIRONMENTAL REHABILITATION

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Variations in economic structure, social set-up, conditions of work, quality of the work

environment all have an impact on the standard of occupational safety and health. As such the

social aspects have been considered while assessing the health and safety status of the industrial

workers. There are also special occupational settings and types of enterprises, economic

activities and undertakings in which work and workplace deviate substantially from the norm.

Major changes in social and economic systems result in weakening of the infrastructure for

occupational health and safety.

When the factory was closed in 1985–1986, pipes, drums and tanks were cleaned and

sold. The MIC and the Sevin plants are still there, as are storages of different residues.

Isolation material is falling down and spreading.

The area around the plant was used as a dumping area for hazardous chemicals. In 1982

tubewells in the vicinity of the UCC factory had to be abandoned. UCC's laboratory tests

in 1989 revealed that soil and water samples collected from near the factory and inside

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the plant were toxic to fish. Several other studies have shown polluted soil and

groundwater in the area.

Reported polluting compounds include naphthol, naphthalene, Sevin, tarry residue,

mercury, toxic organochlorines, volatile organochlorine compounds, chromium, copper,

nickel, lead, hexachloroethane, hexachlorobutadiene, and the pesticide HCH.

In order to provide safe drinking water to the population around the UCC factory, there is

a scheme for improvement of water supply.

4. GLIMPSE OF OTHER SECTORS FACING SIMILAR PROBLEMS

Most workers in India (90%) work in the vast informal sector. The variable and insecure nature

of the work means that more and more workers are pushed into taking up hazardous and

precarious employment both in the informal economy as well as informal work in the formal

sector. For these workers, employment not only fails to bring about a successful escape from

poverty, it may contribute to existing vulnerabilities.

There are other contributory factors that lead to poor working conditions in the informal sector:

There is very little awareness about workplace hazards due to lack of access to

information, or even any kind of formal education. Then too, OSH is given very low

priority among informal workers, as having work is more important than the quality of

the job. As many workers say: “We might die of work, but if we don’t work our families

will die of hunger.”

No proper work hours; piece-rate work often leads to exploitation and extended exposure

to hazardous chemicals and processes.

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Diagnosis of occupational diseases is difficult even in the formal sector; in the informal

sector it is almost impossible. In the absence of proper diagnosis, treatment of

occupational illness is next to impossible for workers in this sector.

No clear distinction between living and working area complicates the problem and

exposes relatives and others living in the vicinity to work-related risks

COMPUTER RELATED HEALTH PROBLEMS AND THEIR REMEDIES:

Some of the key problems associated with the IT/BPO/KPO/LPO sectors are short term eye

burning, itching, tearing, eye soreness and eye strain. Backaches and neckaches are also

widespread. There may also be a tendency for computer users to suffer from cumulative motion

disorders, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, caused by repetitive use of the hands and arms at

uncomfortable angels. OSHA has no specific standards that apply to computer workstations.

But still in India the government has provided certain guidelines regarding the use of computer

screens. These include:

Give employees rest break for duration of 3-5 mins for every 20-30 mins of work.

Design maximum flexibility into the work station so it can be adapted to the individual

operator.

Reduce glare with devices such as shades over windows, and recessed or indirect

lighting.

Give workers a complete preplacement vision exam to ensure properly corrected vision

for reduced visual strain.

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Put the screen at or just below eye level, at a distance of 18-30 inches from the eyes.

Put the feet flat on the floor or on a footrest.

SAFETY HAZARDS IN VARIOUS SECTORS

EQUIPMENT/

UNSAFE WORK

CONDITIONS OR

PRACTICES

ANATOMICAL/

PHYSIOLOGICAL /

PSYCHOLOGICAL

DEMANDS

CHEMICAL

HAZARDS

BIOLOGICAL

HAZARDS

rotating equipment poorly designed equip fire/explosions allergies

forklifts work organization silica animal bites

ladders or lifts workload benzene parasites

underground work pace of work lead viruses

electrical hazards prolonged sitting anesthetic gases

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slippery walking and

working surfaces

poorly designed tools cancer causing agents

scaffolds manual material

handling

personal protective

equipment

STATISTICS

Death toll

Aviation

349 – 1996 Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision (India, 1996)

213 – Air India Flight 855 (India, 1978)

158 – Air India Express Flight 812 (India, 2010)

94 – Alitalia Flight 771 (Mumbai, India, 7 July 1962)

86 – Japan Airlines Flight 471, (Delhi, India, June, 1972)

69 – Indian Airlines Flight 257, Imphal, India, 1991

56 – Indian Airlines Flight 491, Aurangabad, India

Coal mine disasters

375 – Coal mine (Bihar, India, 1965)

Industrial disasters

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20,000 – Bhopal Disaster (India, 1984)

22 – Hindustan Petroleum Refinery fire – 14-Sep-1997, Vishakhapatnam,

Andhra Pradesh, India,

Maritime

625 – 1947 Ramdas Ship Disaster, SS Ramdas (Bombay, 1947)

438 – Baccha Singh (Manihari Ghat, Bihar, River Ganges, 6 August 1988)

Structural fires

538 – Dayananda Anglo Vedic private school fire ( Mandi Dabwali, India,

December 23, 1995)

Train accidents and disasters

500-800 – Bihar train disaster (Bihar, India, 1981)

358 – Firozabad rail disaster (India, 1995)

285 – Gaisal train disaster (India, 1999)

212 – Khanna rail disaster (India, 1998)

154 – Mardaiyar river bridge derail disaster, (Tamil-Nadu, India, 1956)

107 – Patna train derailed, (Bihar, India, 1937)

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5. RESPONSIBILTIES OF MANAGEMENT

Management are supposed to get personally involved in safety activities in terms of providing

safety matters high priority in meetings and production scheduling, giving the company security

officer high rank and status and include safety training in their work culture. Along with all these

the management must also include:

Management’s commitment with a safety policy, and publicize it.

Analyze the number of accidents and safety incidents and then set specific achievable

safety goals.

1] REDUCING UNSAFE CONDITIONS

Injuries and accidents are common here due to the highly risky procedures. Working in or even

around a construction site can be dangerous. The location need not be a building site; it can be

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any construction related area. What matters is you being aware of the hazards lurking around at

such sites and how much dangerous they can possibly be for you as a worker.

Thousands of people are killed at the construction sites every year. Construction industry has

reported largest number of fatalities as compared to any other industry sectors. The main trouble

is not that risks and hazards are unknown but the trouble is that it is difficult to control risks and

hazards in the constantly changing environment in the world place today.

The safety hazards at the construction site will fall from the motor vehicle crashes, height,

machines, electrocution, being struck with the falling objects and equipments. Due to the nature

of the work, the workers at the construction site face higher risks of injury and accidents as

compared to almost any other normal industry.

People must be aware of conditions that can contribute to an accident and then work to remove

exposure to these conditions. Examples are enclosing live electrical circuits or providing workers

with the proper protective equipment. Of course, it is difficult to eliminate all unsafe conditions,

and it's even more difficult to predict or anticipate where such conditions may exist or develop

on construction jobs involving lead. To eliminate unsafe actions and conditions in and around

construction sites, many advanced traffic, propping equipments and propping accessories are

available. These high quality propping and traffic equipments will ensure workers safety. Using

good quality bridge supports, roof supports, and wall supporting applications will prove helpful.

The employer can also choose from various props to best suit the purpose. Propping equipments

like a crow props, multi props, tilt props and titan props to name a few offers safety and support

for most construction sites. Taking proper measures for reducing unsafe actions and eliminating

unsafe conditions should ensure workers safety.

2] REDUCING UNSAFE ACTS

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Each worker must make a conscious effort to work

safely despite the hazardous conditions that may exist

at any site. A high degree of safety awareness and

training must be maintained so that the safety factors

involved in a job become an actual part of the job. By

being conscious of the task you are performing, the

environment in which it is being performed, as well as how you are going to actually perform the

task, you will be capable of identifying potential hazards that will cause you to act in an unsafe

manner. Safety is the condition of being secure from hurt, injury, or loss. Therefore, to be safe,

you act in two ways, proactively and reactively. When you act proactively, you anticipate

problems before they occur and take steps to make sure accidents don't happen. When you act

reactively, you are responding to problems after they occur. Workers are best protected when

they act proactively.

From an employee’s perspective he needs to take care of the following checklist

3] PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other

garment or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury by blunt impacts,

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electrical hazards, heat, chemicals, and infection, for job-related occupational safety and health

purposes, and in sports, martial arts, combat, etc.

Personal armor is combat-specialized protective gear. In British legislation the term PPE does

not cover items such as armor. The terms "protective gear" and "protective clothing" are in many

cases interchangeable; "protective clothing" is applied to traditional categories of clothing, and

"gear" is a more general term and preferably means uniquely protective categories, such as pads,

guards, shields, masks, etc. Items such as fire extinguishers, first aid kits are equipment to

support the personal protection of the subject. Police use handcuffs, tasers, battens and handguns

as PPE.

The goal of personal protective equipment is to prevent the transfer of hazardous material

from victims or the environment to rescue or health care workers.

Different types of PPE may be used depending on the hazard present. The types of

hazards addressed here include biological warfare agents (BWAs), chemical warfare

agents (CWAs), and radioactive agents.

The most common routes of exposure to these hazards include inhalation (breathing,

from the air), skin contact, and ingestion (eating or drinking).

The use of personal protective equipment is to reduce employee exposure to hazards when

engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective to reduce these risks to

acceptable levels.

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4] CONDUCT SAFETY AND HEALTH AUDITS

AND INSPECTIONS

a) Purpose

Inspection of work areas and audits of safety programs are tools that can be used to identify

problems and hazards before these conditions result in accidents or injuries. Audits also help to

identify the effectiveness of safety program management and can be used as a guide to assure

regulatory compliance and a safe workplace.

b) Responsibilities

Design and schedule audit and inspection procedures for all work areas, processes and

procedures.

Conduct routine audits and inspections

Ensure audits are conducted by employees who understand the various safety programs

and policies

conduct informal daily safety inspections and ensure all unsafe conditions are corrected

conduct documented weekly inspections and ensure all unsafe conditions are corrected

c) Corrections

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All safety deficiencies found during audits and inspections should be corrected as soon as

possible. Documentation of corrections should be made on the audit or inspection sheet. And

conditions that present hazards are to be corrected or controlled immediately.

d) Types of Inspections

Supervisor & Management Daily Walk-through: this is an undocumented inspection that is made

daily prior to startup and shift change to ensure the facility and equipment are in safe conditions

for Employees. All noted unsafe areas are placed in a safe condition prior to Employees working

in the area.

Weekly Supervisor Inspections are conducted and recorded with an Employee. This documented

inspection provides a focus to ensure current hazard controls are still effective, equipment is in

safe condition and safe work practices are in use. Discrepancies are listed on the inspection

sheet, recorded on work orders for correction. The inspection sheet is forwarded to the Safety

Manager for review and logging to track discrepancy correction.

Safety Committee Inspection

Each month members of the Safety Committee will tour the entire facility with the Safety

Manager. This tour is to ensure Safety Committee Members are familiar with all areas of the

operation. Record of problem areas, committee recommendations and deficiencies will be

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recorded and provided to management. Noise Surveys are conducted at least annually, or

whenever facility modifications are made that impact the ambient or specific work area noise

levels, Noise surveys are conducted by qualified persons with calibrated instruments. Equipment

Inspections are conducted to ensure specific safety equipment is in good working order and will

function when needed. Examples and frequencies are:

Sprinkler Inspection - Monthly

Boiler Checks- Weekly

Emergency Lighting Test - Monthly

Fire Extinguisher Inspections - Monthly

Safety Equipment Inventories - Monthly

Boiler Tests - Monthly

Emergency Lighting 90 Min. Test - Semiannually

Respirator Inspections- Before / After Use (Monthly at a minimum)

Boiler Internal Inspections - Annually (by qualified inspector)

Program Audits are conducted to check the administration of specific safety and health

programs. Program Audits of the following shall be conducted annually.

Accident Prevention

Fire Prevention

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Material Handling

Flammable Material Storage

Lockout-Tag out

Hazard Communication

Personal Protective Equipment

Confined Space Entry

Asbestos Controls

Boiler Safety

Blood borne Pathogens

Contractor Safety

Electrical Safety

Tool Safety

Hot Work

Respiratory Protection

5] BASIC INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE PROGRAM

Managing exposure hazards like these comes under the category of industrial hygiene ,and

involves recognition ,evaluation, and control. First, the facility’s health and safety officers must

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recognize possible hazards. This typically involves conducting plan/facility walk around surveys,

employee interviews, records, and reviews of government and non-governmental standards

regarding various occupational exposure hazards. Having identified a possible hazard, the

evaluation phase involves determining how severe hazard is. This requires measuring the

exposure, comparing the measured exposure to some benchmark, and determining whether the

risk is within tolerances.

6] AVOIDING ALCOHOLISM OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE DURING WORK

Drug-using employees are over three and half times more likely to be involved in workplace

accidents. Some experts estimate that as many as 50 % of all “problem employees” are actually

alcoholics. One estimate places the cost of substance abusers damage to a company at $7,000 per

abuser per day. Both the quality and quantity of the work decline, in the face of a sort of on-the-

job absenteeism. The alcoholic’s on-the-job accidents usually don’t increase significantly,

apparently because he or she becomes much more cautious. The off-the-job accident rate is

higher than for nonalcoholic’s. Morale of other workers drops as they have to shoulder the

alcoholic’s burdens.

7] SUPERVISOR TRAINING

Supervisor training has far reaching benefits.  When you improve the

performance of supervisors you are improving the performance of

everyone in the company.

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Good supervisors with proper training will be able to direct and lead the staff better to help

increase efficiency and make employees perform better. The possible effects of supervisor

training can range from a simple change in the quality of work to helping to lower costs.

When you train management to be better at their jobs they will help their direct reports are better

at their jobs.  It is also possible through such improvement to see a change in the company as a

whole.  When employees feel happy at work their efforts almost always increase and therefore

that will help the company to become more stable and able to advance and grow.

As you can see supervisor training is something that will help to make your company a better

place to work and help make it a better overall company

8] REDUCING JOB STRESS

1. Increasing Employees' Sense of Control and Participation in the Workplace

The key point here is to increase real control and participation; not the illusion of control.

Possible workplace strategies:

Using staff meetings more effectively to encourage participation and input.

Develop autonomous work groups

For example:

Blue-Collar employees in a British confectionary company reported low scores on three job

characteristics (autonomy, task identity and feedback), low work motivation, low job satisfaction

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and high levels of emotional distress. Increases in group autonomy were attempted by shifting

responsibility and control to work teams and away from the supervisor. Teams had control over

the work place, organization of rest breaks, and allocation of overtime and assignments. Six

months and 18-month follow up revealed reduced emotional distress and lasting increases in

autonomy.

2. Increasing the Skill Levels of Employees

Healthy work is skillful work. It allows for the ongoing development of new skills and the

opportunity to use them. There has been a great deal of discussion at the national level

concerning the importance of high skill, high wage work in increasing the productivity of U.S.

companies. Unfortunately, many of the jobs being added to the economy are extremely low skill

ones. Possible workplace strategies to counter this deskilling effect:

Increased skill based training.

Use of career ladders to reward skill development

Use of job rotation to expand skills

Use of job redesign to increase range of skill needed

Healthy use of computers for skill development.

3. Increasing Levels of Social Support

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Key components to social support in the workplace are supervisory support and coworker

support. Possible workplace strategies:

Training in proactive supervision.

This supervisory approach emphasizes positive feedback, employee growth and

development, open lines of communication, and strong levels of support.

Training in conflict resolution and team building.

Appropriate use of staff retreats.

4. Improve Physical Working Conditions

There is extensive evidence that poor physical working conditions contribute not only to physical

hazards, but stress levels as well. Possible workplace strategies:

Improving indoor air quality.

Reducing levels of physical hazards such as noise, toxins, chemicals, etc.

Job redesign to reduce incidence of repetitive strain injuries (that is, reducing repetitive

work, awkward work postures and/or heavy lifting.

5. Healthy Use of Technology

Healthy use of computers

More and more of our working time is spent in front of computers. While they can be a

tremendous help in our work, they can also increase stress levels if the computer work is poorly

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designed. Cumulative trauma disorders can be a particular physical hazard of increased computer

use. Good ergonomics is a key to healthy computer use. State health departments usually have

someone who is an expert in this area. They can help you with proper equipment, lighting and

pace of work issues. They can also help you reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries among

your staff.

Staff involvement in choosing new equipment:

This is a common sense strategy that is often overlooked. This can have payoffs for both job

satisfaction and productivity.

For example:

A large state human service agency was planning to buy new computer work stations for its 3000

employees. This represented a tremendous expenditure for the agency. Instead of making a

unilateral decision, they put three different work stations in one office and left them there for two

months.

6. Maintaining Job Demands at Healthy Levels

Human beings can become sick if they work too long at a high sustained pace. They are at their

most productive and healthy if they can work at a manageable level. Possible workplace

strategies:

1) Reduced use of overtime

2) Caseload restrictions

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3) Brake mechanism - an administrative group designed to reduce the amount of change the

organization initiates.

4) Formation of "What don't we need to do?" committee - an internal group charged with finding

low priority or unnecessary tasks. Job reduction is not a goal of this approach.

7. Changes that Provide for Job Security and Career Development

Frequently, workplace changes occur in a climate of job insecurity or downsizing. From the

perspective of occupational stress, changes that are intended to eliminate jobs are usually

incompatible with efforts to improve the quality of the working environment. Employees are

particularly resentful of participating in changes that may well lead to their own job loss such as

time and motion studies. More positive approaches attempt to use the skills of existing

employees in a more effective manner. Possible workplace strategies:

1) Extension of career ladders.

2) Expansion of responsibilities and tasks.

For example:

A private company in Sweden provided mechanisms for their clerical employees to increase their

skill levels, job responsibilities and depth of specialization. Nearly half of the secretaries were

eventually promoted to higher job classifications, opening up new career opportunities for them.

This process also generated a number of proposals for improved productivity at the company.

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8. Changes that Provide Healthy Work Schedules

Work schedules can have positive or negative health consequences. A number of studies have

associated poorer physical and psychological functioning with rotating shifts. On the other hand,

more flexible work schedules have the potential of improving employee satisfaction and

reducing stress. Possible workplace strategies:

1) Reduced use of forced overtime

2) Rotating shifts in a forward (day to night) schedule.

3) Use of flextime and other alternative work week schedules.

9. Strategies to Improve Personal Coping Mechanisms

Individual strategies are easier to initiate but should never be seen as an equivalent substitute for

organizational change. These strategies can, however, be very useful companions to structural

change efforts. One good distinction for person change strategies is the difference between

functional and dysfunctional coping mechanisms. All human beings have coping mechanisms.

Unfortunately, these mechanisms are not always the most effective or functional. The goal is to

replace dysfunctional coping mechanisms with functional ones. Some healthy choices:

1) Improving the diet of employees

Possible work place strategies: bring in a nutritionist for a day of training, encourage employees

to keep diet diaries for a week, offer nutritional foods at the worksite, form a healthy snacks club.

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2) Encouraging the employees to exercise

Possible work place strategies: start a walking club at lunch time, look for group discounts at

nearby health clubs, bring in a fitness trainer for an in-service day, and provide exercise

equipment or facilities.

For example:

One intervention study found that combining a health risk assessment with behavioral counseling

was effective in reducing some cardiovascular risk factors. This program gave workers a health

assessment, education on the risk factors of cardiovascular disease and provided them some

behavioral counseling. Among other suggestions, the counseling sessions encouraged workers to

stop smoking improve their diet and increase their exercise level.

3) Training in deep muscle relaxation techniques

Psychologists have known for some time that anxiety and deep muscle relaxation are mutually

exclusive. That is, you can't be anxious and relaxed at the same time. This finding has been used

to successfully treat many phobias, but it can also be a useful strategy for dealing with stress.

The goal is to train your employees to be able to become relaxed on demand, thereby cutting the

stress cycle short. It is an effective method for training individuals how to relax their major

muscle groups. There are other useful techniques available for employees working on computers.

Possible workplace strategies: Many stress management consultants are able to train your

employees in these techniques. A good use of an in-service training day would be to bring in a

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consultant and either has them train all your employees, or intensively train a small group who

would then become your in-house trainers.

4) Training in effective cognitive strategies

There are several potentially useful techniques here. Remember that something is not stressful

unless it is perceived or appraised as stressful. Cognitive psychologists have developed

techniques that replace negative cognitions. Another useful strategy is called thought stopping.

Since we know that negative thoughts can increase anxiety and therefore stress symptoms,

psychologists have learned to train individuals too literally "stop" these thoughts before they

become too repetitive. These techniques have been found to be extremely useful for people who

have serious problems with anxiety or depression.

Some possible workplace strategies: Realistically, these techniques require a trained

professional. You should find a competent cognitive psychologist in your area and ask him/her to

come in for an in-service day or work through an Employee Assistance Program.

5) Training in Substance Abuse Awareness

Individuals who are under a great deal of stress begin to self-medicate themselves in order to feel

better. They may drink more, take more prescription medication, or take illegal drugs. Every

organization has individuals who may already have serious problems in this regard. These

individuals probably need professional help. Substance abuse awareness is best used as a

preventative measure.

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Possible work place strategies: there are many resources available in the community for

substance abuse awareness training. Many human service agencies are willing to do this kind of

outreach for free, and many schools are now hiring well qualified counselors who could be an

important resource to your employees, or you can establish your own employee assistance

program.

6) Organize discussion groups on healthy stress reducers

The idea is to get employees to share effective strategies with each other.

Possible workplace strategies: this strategy does not need external resources. You can simply

pull together a meeting where people share the stress reducers that work for them. You may want

to prepare a handout ahead of time that reviews examples of healthy coping mechanisms. This

will help to structure the discussion and provide an opportunity for some additional training. An

added benefit of this approach is that it also provides a mechanism for giving social support to

employees.

7) Transition time

Many employees leave their jobs only to return to stressful conditions at home. They may have

families to take care of, meals to cook, or older parents to visit. Remember that it can take a good

20 to 30 minutes for the body to return to baseline after experiencing a stressor. If the employee

walks into their door "stressed out" and then has to deal with a difficult situation at home, their

chances of having long-term health consequences increase. Obviously the work place isn't

responsible for solving employee's domestic problems. But it is in your interest to have the

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healthiest possible workers. Transition time can be a useful technique in short circuiting the

stress response at home. The basic idea is to train employees to find a way to relax for 20-30

minutes before assuming family responsibilities. This allows the body's autonomic responses to

return to baseline.

8) Leaving stress at the front door - training on family dynamics and parenting skills

There's been a good deal of research showing that, as stress increases, so do family problems. It

is very easy for angry, frustrated employees to take stress out on their families. Even healthy,

supportive families can go through some rough times. Parents who had few problems with their

children suddenly have major difficulties with them in adolescence. Again, the work place is not

responsible for domestic violence. But improving your employees' abilities to handle pressures at

home can have major payoffs for your organization.

9] EVACUATION PLANS

A disorganized evacuation can result in confusion, injury, and property damage. When there is

an emergency, getting workers out of poses special challenges. Preparing in advance to safely

evacuate the building is critical to the safety of employees who work there.

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 What actions should employers take to help ensure safe evacuations?

Don't lock fire exits or block doorways, halls, or stairways

Test regularly all back-up systems and safety systems, such as emergency lighting and

communication systems, and repair them as needed

Develop a workplace evacuation plan, post it prominently on each floor, and review it

periodically to ensure its effectiveness

Identify and train floor wardens, including back-up personnel, who will be responsible

for sounding alarms and helping to evacuate employees

Conduct emergency evacuation drills periodically

Ensure that during off-hour periods, systems are in place to notify, evacuate, and account

for off-hour building occupants

Post emergency numbers near telephones

What should employers do when an emergency occurs?  

Sound appropriate alarms and instruct employees to leave the building

Notify, police, firefighters or other appropriate emergency personnel

Take a head count of employees at designated meeting locations, and notify emergency

personnel of any missing workers

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  What actions should employees know before an emergency occurs?

Be familiar with the work site's emergency evacuation plan

Know the pathway to at least two alternative exits from every room/area at the workplace

Recognize the sound/signaling method of the fire/evacuation alarms

Know who to contact in an emergency and how to contact them

Know how many desks or cubicles are between your workstation and two of the nearest

exits so you can escape in the dark if necessary

Know where the fire/evacuation alarms are located and how to use them

Report damaged or malfunction safety systems and back-up systems

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6. WORKPLACE SMOKING

People smoke for many reasons and once they start, it is nearly impossible to quit. A study

published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that a mere 2% of Indians quit

smoking and that too after falling ill. In the corporate culture, smoking is a fad. People smoke

even if that involves getting out of the office and taking a long walk. But there are some like the

fitness freak even hates the smell of it, and is uncomfortable with people smoking during

informal meetings. The law prohibits smoking in the workplace.

"Workplace" means an enclosed structure where employees perform services for an

employer or, in the case of an employer who assigns employees to departments, divisions

or similar organizational units, the enclosed portion of a structure where the unit to which

the employee is assigned is located. "Workplace" does not include any portion of a

structure that also serves as the employee's or employers personal residence.

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HOW SMOKING COSTS THE EMPLOYER

Weis, Kristein and others have found that smoking activity by employees increases costs in

many areas. Some of these areas are:

Absenteeism: On average, smokers are absent 50 percent more often than nonsmokers. As long

ago as 1974, Dow Chemical Company found that cigarette smoking employees were missing 5.5

more work days per year than their nonsmoking peers. Costs for these absences include

temporary replacements and lowered productivity and morale among employees who are on the

job and must cope with the absences.

Productivity: One has only to visualize the smoking ritual to realize the time lost by smokers.

Add to that inefficiency and errors caused by higher CO levels in smokers, eye irritation, and

lower attentiveness. Research is documenting lower productivity in smoking employees and

increases in productivity when smoking is limited or banned.

Insurance: Additional health-care cost per smoker in this country is slightly over $300 per year

in 1983 dollars, and this estimate is conservative. Some insurers, recognizing the differential in

mortality rates between smokers and nonsmokers, are offering up to 45 percent discounts on

premiums for term-life coverage for nonsmokers with medical examinations. They represent

another area of potential savings when smoking is either banned or restricted in the workplace.

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Smokers have twice the accident rate of nonsmokers due in part to loss of attention, smoking

hand occupied, eye irritation, and cough. Researchers have estimated fire accident costs due to

smoking to be $10 per year per smoker. Dr. Weis says that health and fire insurance premiums

can be 25 to 35 percent lower for smoke-free businesses, and morbidity and fire statistics suggest

that premium discounts should be as high as 70 percent. Disability and early retirement payments

can be cut by as much as 75 percent.

Ventilation: The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers

notes that "higher ventilation rates are specified for spaces where smoking is permitted because

tobacco smoke is one of the most difficult contaminants to control at the source." Requirements

for outdoor air are two to three times greater when smoking is a factor, and filters must be

cleaned or changed much more frequently.

Maintenance Costs: Employers who have banned smoking report dramatic decreases in the

maintenance costs of their businesses. Building maintenance services are enthusiastic about the

change in the amount of cleaning required. Furniture and drapes last longer and have to be

cleaned less often. Many chores done on a monthly basis can be scheduled semiannually or

annually.

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7. CONCLUSION

Occupational health and safety is not limited in scope only to prevent and control specific

occupational diseases. Worker’s health and safety programs should deal with the complete

relationship between work and total health of man. However, the present occupational health and

safety infrastructure in India has not been able to achieve these objectives.

The Indian legislations fail to consider the numerous problems existing in India industry. The

legislations fail to reflect the importance of attitude of the organizational system and the

capacities or performance of working people. The present state of Indian industry does not

provide any incentive to the employers/entrepreneurs to invest in safety measures. There is little

awareness about safety aspects among the Indian trade unions. The small unorganized industrial

units spread over the length and breadths of the country are not covered by any occupational

health services.

Besides all these it is the responsibility of the management to work with ethics so as ensure the

safety and security of the employees and make sure that they are more than happy and

comfortable in the area of their working premises providing all sorts of essential needs and

comforts. When all these are met ultimately workers will be giving their best in terms of

productivity in an organization, which is really concerned about them. It is more than easy if we

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could just take small and precautionary measures to avoid such a huge disaster like the

“BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY”.

8. BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://dgfasli.nic.in/info1.htm

http://www.ilo.org/global/standards/lang--en/index.htm

http://www.ilo.org/global/standards/lang--en/index.htm

http://www.iitk.ac.in/che/jpg/cwrep2.pdf

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-12-03/india/28061521_1_compensation-gas-

affected-persons-bhopal-gas-tragedy

http://www.aiche.org/uploadedfiles/ccps/about/bhopal20yearslater.pdf

http://www.rrojasdatabank.info/urban/euv14n1p89.pdf

http://labour.nic.in/ilas/indiaandilo.htm

http://www.citehr.com/research.php?

q=reducing+unsafe+conditions+in+an+organization&submit=reSearch