On the 17th of June 2022, the National Mission for Clean Ganga hosted a training workshop on 'Occupational Health and Safety Audit (OHSA)' in New Delhi. G. Asok Kumar, Director General of the NMCG, presided over the workshop, which was attended by stakeholders and contractors from the states, as well as World Bank and NMCG officials.
LEA Associates South Asia, Toshiba Water, Voltas Limited, L&T Infrastructure, VA Tech Wabagh, and Shapoorji Pallonji were among the contractors who attended the event and gave presentations on 'Specific Safety Measures Taken at STP and Sewerage Network Construction Sites and Operating Facilities.' During the Construction and Operation Phase, two technical sessions were organized, including 'Key Risks and Mitigation Strategies in Sewerage Treatment Plants and Networks.'
In his inaugural address, G. Asok Kumar, DG, NMCG expressed his delight that the workshop is being held "on a very important aspect that is usually overlooked in the rush of things." He stated that the National Mission for Clean Ganga takes the safety of the workers, who work tirelessly to complete the projects, very seriously and is committed to looking after them. "All lives are important to us, and everyone has the right to live a dignified and healthy life," he added.
Sharing personal experiences, he stated that steps are taken to ensure worker safety directly impact the work's progress. "During my tenure as DM of Kadapa in 2005, a school was built for the children of workers who were completing a large medical college in the district." We provided free housing, food, and coaching to all of the children before ensuring their safety and comfort. It was surprising to see that work output increased dramatically as workers, particularly women, who had previously been concerned about the safety of their children moving around on the job, could now work freely. They doubled their shift, and the project was completed ahead of schedule."
Kumar emphasized the importance of ensuring the workers' safety and avoiding mishaps. He hoped that OSHA would be useful for learning from each other's experiences. Namami Gange is one of the country's most prestigious projects, he added, and it must be ensured that workers are treated well and face no safety or health hazards while the work is being completed. He also stated that India has progressed to the point where such steps should be taken on our own initiative, rather than being prodded by someone else.
Asferechu Abate, the Senior Environment Specialist at the World Bank, delivered a presentation on the 'Operational Health and Safety Second National Ganga River Basin Plan,' shedding light on major occupational health and safety issues. He presented some data on the leading causes of occupational fatalities and construction safety. He proposed that knowledge, commitment, resource allocation, an organized approach, worker leadership and participation, and regular training are some ways to reduce accidents. He stated that we should all work together to improve occupational health and safety.
OSHA's mission is to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for men and women by establishing and enforcing safe working standards and providing training, public outreach, education, and compliance assistance. OHS management is a never-ending process of improvement. A good OHS system necessitates good planning for OHS practices, risk assessment, training, a user-friendly interface, proper communication, and timely incident reporting.
The importance of employers providing a safe workplace was emphasized during the workshop. Employers must provide a safe and healthy workplace for their employees and must adhere to all OSHA safety and health standards. Details of OHS practices required by the World Bank's safeguard policy were also discussed during the workshop. Following the training, a small quiz and discussion forum were held. During the event, a short film about OSHA was shown, and the DG, NMCG also released a monthly newsletter titled Safety, Environment, and Health News, which is published by Voltas in Bihar.
