Work Study and Ergonomics

Introduction

This chapter comprises of three parts; first part of the chapter briefly describe the environmental law w.r.t. legal control of hazardous substances and processes, followed by basics of safety management. The second part describes about scenario of occupational health and safety in India and abroad. The third part of the chapter represents the results of exploratory case study to bring out the occupational health and safety practices in SMEs and addresses some important issues such as status of health and safety practices in Casting & Forging SMEs, level of use of PPEs, exertions, fatigue and anxiety due to work exposure, work schedule, overtime, alcohol/tobacco/smoking etc intake, work posture and musculoskeletal disorders, health symptoms like respiratory symptoms, BP, hearing disability, etc. and at the end the conclusions of the case study.

Environmental Law – Legal Control of Hazardous Substances and Processes

There is a huge number of chemicals along with extremely toxic substances increasing at a fast pace and their control and effective management is becoming extremely difficult.

About 5 million chemicals have been synthesized in the past 4-5 decades at the rate of 120,000 every year; about 50–70 thousand chemicals are being used extensively in millions of commercial products. There has been a tremendous increase in the chemical and alkali industry since independence. A total of 515 units spread over 20 states in India have been identified as hazardous installations by a nationwide survey undertaken by ILO.

Today India is the leading producer of pesticides with more production in South Asia. There are some reports available which reveal that many factories near Udaipur are engaged in making acids, secret trade name, and highly toxic chemical for exports. It is a banned item in the western countries because of toxicity and poisonous gases and liquid effluents that emanate from it during its manufacture.

Under the confidentiality clause for protection of trade secrets, the chemical formula has been kept a secret from public and officials and consequently the regulatory agencies have failed to exercise control over them. Therefore in this way some laws are itself hindrances against the legal control of hazardous substances in the country.

The idea of management of hazardous substances is relatively new to the Indian industrial, administrative and legal backgrounds. However, the problem of toxic hazards has already touched dangerous proportions. Therefore, there is a great need of emphasis on these issues.