NOTES
Self-Instructional
Material 141
Employee Welfare,
Separation
industrial establishment.’ According to the Factories Act, industrial accident is ‘an
occurrence in an industrial establishment causing bodily injury to a person which
makes him unfit to resume his duties in the next 48 hours.’
Causes of accidents: Accidents are usually the result of a combination of
factors. According to safety experts there are three basic causes. These are:
1. Unsafe conditions: Also known as ‘technical causes.’ They arise when
there are improper or inadequate safety guards on machines, when
mechanical or construction designs are defective and unsafe; or when there
is an absence of proper maintenance and supervision of these devices.
2. Unsafe acts: These acts may be the result of lack on the part of the
employee or certain bodily defects or wrong attitudes on the part of the
employee.
3. Other causes: These refer to unsafe situational and climate conditions and
variations – such as bad working conditions, rough and slippery floors,
excessive glare, etc.
Accident prevention
According to the National Safety Council, USA, accident prevention depends on
three E’s.
Engineering – the job should be engineered for safety.
Employees – employees should be educated in safe procedure, and
Enforcing safety – safety rules should be properly enforced.
Accident prevention can be achieved through two basic activities:
1. Reducing unsafe conditions, i.e., removing and reducing physical hazards
2. Reducing unsafe acts. This can be implemented through proper selection
and placement of employees, providing training to new employees in safety
practices, and through persuasion and propaganda
Occupational diseases
Occupational diseases are the result of physical conditions and the presence of
industrial poisonous and non-poisonous dust in the atmosphere. They usually
develop over an extended period of time. They are slow and generally cumulative
in their effect. The diseases are the result of constant exposure to the influence of
toxic substances of micro-organisms, of air-borne contaminants and stress-
producing elements.
Provisions under the Factories Act, 1948
The Factories Act, 1948, provides for health safety and welfare. We explain the
relevant sections pertaining to health and safety of workers:
