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National Institute of Occupational Safty and Health |
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Vision
Occupational Safety and Health for All
Mission
Empower the tripartite constituents through education, training and research for preventing all forms of work related hazards to ensure Safety and Health at work
The National Institute
Quality, Productivity and Occupational Safety and Health are the three basic parameters on which the entire economy, development and elevation of living standards of any country stands. Ministry of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment is detailed with the task of managing both productivity and Occupational Safety and Health.
Occupational Safety and Health is a sector that deals with safeguarding the most valuable and indispensable human asset of any country, that is workers. Workers means not only those employed on terms of wages by some enterprise, but also includes all working population that engages in some kind of self economic activity which while self supporting that worker, contributes to the national development as well.
Taking the responsibility of the State in safeguarding such important working population into consideration, the Ministry of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment is proceeding with action in drafting relevant legislations so as to safeguard all working population in the form of an Act for Safety Health and Welfare at Work.
In practice, safeguarding of working population would involve functional components such as:-
• Establishment of a National Policy on Occupational Safety and Health together with the necessary Legislations, Rules, Procedures and Standards with regard to work places.
• Continues monitoring of working conditions at work places.
• Education, Training and Promotion of all matters on Occupational Safety and
T hese could be achieved only with results of past experiences, studies undertaken on assessment of prevailing conditions together with prevailing socio-economic climate as well as that compared with that of world trend with specific consideration to the region.
In Sri-Lanka, considerations on Occupational Safety and Health was confined to Mines and to the relevant machinery since year 1896 till 1950, and extended to Factories under Factories Ordinance to-date. State of development of economic sectors warrants further extension of scope. This had urged the Ministry to formulate legislation with a wider coverage and to institutionalize the supporting activities into a further dimension by establishing an Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.
Though the thought of an Institute of Occupational Safety and Health was there for many years back, current Hon. Minister and the Secretary had putout matters into action and succeeded in getting the approval of the cabinet of Ministers on the establishment of the :National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, to:-
• Commence the prerequisite arrangements within the available resources of the Department of Labour.
• To decide further resources required in consultation with the Treasury and
• To direct the Legal Draftsman to draft necessary legislation for the purpose.
Functions of the Institute.
Following are the basic functions and services proposed by this Institute.
• All functions in connection with advising the Minister on the establishment of a National Policy
for Occupational Safety and Health.
• All relevant studies, researches and analysis in setting up of National Standards on Occupational safety and Health.
Activities.
In order to achieve results out of these functions, following activities have to be performed. They are;-
• Make relevant research and studies and develop designs of safety guards for plant and machinery as well as safety procedures relevant to construction works and power installations.
• Make relevant research and studies and develop systems for the elimination or mitigation of hazardous working conditions.
• Develop or modify work places to be ergonomically smart.
• Monitoring and developing suitable remedial measures in order to attain a healthy working population.
• Monitor environment and maintain a high hygienic condition.
• Educate and train professionally personal on Occupational Safety and Health.
• Induce awareness of Occupational Safety and Health to all working population.
• Introduce the aspect and need of Occupational Safety and Health to the public.
Out of the activities mentioned above, it may be noted that, other than professional education and training of personals, all other functions are broadly a service responsibility of the State which, at present performed on a small way by the various divisions of the Department of Labour, which, hence forth is proposed to be performed by the said Institute in a comprehensive manner with a new dimension.
It is obvious that resources, facilities and infrastructure for such an amount of tasks cannot be achieved at once. However, in accordance with the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers, action would be taken to set up National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health with some resources and facilities available with the Department of Labour and also with some relevant resources added on in concurrence with the Treasury.
The above activities of the Institute would be undertaken under four branches.
They are:-
• Engineering and Ergonomics Laboratory.
• Health Laboratory.
• Environment and Hygiene Laboratory.
• Planning, Education and Training Laboratory.
Proposed professional Training and Awareness programmes.
1. Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health. -
• Full time course of one year duration containing Lectures, Field Visits, Laboratory Exercises and an Assignment covering the entire training programme - Suitable for any person who want to be academically qualified in the field of OSH.
• Week end course of two years duration containing all those accommodated in the full time course - suitable for those who are employed and willing to be qualified in OSH .
• Evening course of two years duration containing all those accommodated in the full time course - Suitable for those who are employed and willing to be qualified on OSH .
It is proposed to run two batches of these courses with each batch containing 25 candidates suitably scattered to meet demand and requirements, with an expected target of producing an average of 100 persons with a Diploma Qualification in OSH in one year.
(2) Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health.
(a) Full time course of 6 months duration containing Lectures, Field Visits, Laboratory Exercises and Assignment covering the programme, with the course designed in such a way that this could be continued at any time and a Diploma in OSH achieved.
(b) Week end course of one year containing all those accommodated in the full time course.
(b) Evening Course of one year duration containing all those accommodated in the full time course.
It is proposed in this course as well to run two batches with each batch containing 25 candidates, with an expected target of producing an average of 200 persons with a certificate in OSH .
(3) Awareness in Occupational Safety and Health.
• A full time awareness programme of 5 days duration containing Lectures, Field visit and Laboratory Exercise suitable for persons in employment or not to get awareness in OSH .
• Week end awareness programme of duration of two weekends containing all those accommodated on the full time course.
• Evening awareness programme of 10 days duration containing all those accommodated in the full time course.
(4) One day Massage in Occupational Safety and Health for Occupiers, Trade Union Leaders and interested others.
It is proposed to conduct the above programme at least twice a month with a participation of 15 to 20 candidates at a time, targeting to around at least 360 persons to have participated.
(5) Special programmes on special and specific topics.
Special programmes would be designed and conducted in case of interested candidates on
matters such as :-
(a) Pressure Vessels,
(b) Lifting Machines,
(c) Working Environment -Heat, Light, Noise,
(d) Chemicals,
(e) Dangerous Machines,
(f) First Aid etc.
(6) Programmes at Site.
It is proposed to conduct Lecture, Seminar or Workshops as per requirements at sites as well, so as to bring up awareness on OSH to workers working at Factories, Building sites and other Work places.
(7) Library of the Institute
It is a special library on Occupational Safety and Health.
Subjects covered
Occupational health, Industrial health and safety, Public health, Pollution, Ergonomics, Chemical safety, Occupational diseases, Industrial Safety and Health legislations, Toxicology, Water and sanitation etc.
Resources
Books, Periodicals, Pamphlets, Reports, Dissertation, Reprints, Training modules, Chemical safety data sheet, Databases, Newspaper clippings etc
Special collections
ILO Documents, WHO Documents, Worksafe Australia , Government legislations, Departmental Regulations with relevant to Safety and Health, Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety.
Users
Medical officers, Engineers, Researchers, Universities/Technical students, Scientists Planners and policy makers, Health personnel, Government and Non- governmental officials, Employers, Employees and any one who is interested in learning about Occupational Safety and Health.
Services
Reference, Lending (staff only), Inter-library loans, Current awareness services, Photocopying services (for Network Member Libraries), Alert article service (for Network Member libraries ), Referral Services.
Affiliated Networks
Occupational Safety and Health Information Network (OSHINET) Health Literature Libraries and Information Service Network (HELLIS) Sri Lanka Science and Technologies Information Network (SLSTINET) Environmental Library Information Network (ENLINET)
Contacts:
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Designation |
Telephone Nos. |
01. |
Deputy Commissioner of Labour |
+94 11 2585425 |
02. |
Librarian |
+94 11 2598672 |
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