A
NEW OSH ORGANISATION
The Nepal Safety and Health Association
(NOSHA) has been created. It is a not for
profit, voluntary organisation. Its representation is from government,
employer organisations, trade union federations, and professionals working in
the field of OSH. The main aim of this organisation is to protect workers from
accidents and diseases caused by the working environment as well as work
towards the sustainable growth of industries (contact Youb Battra, Secretary, at
bhattayoub@hotmail.com).
There have been great strides in occupationalhealth and safety in Nepal
assisted by the DANIDA funded Environment Sector Programme Support
(ESPS).
OHSEI has completed training on behalf of ESPS for workers and employers in the
construction industry and for Factory inspectors. In April it conducted a
workshop of unions, employers and government in the construction sector to
agree strategies for cooperation to improve occupational health, safety and
environment outcomes.
Not the Real thing?
Many of the hoardings in Nepal are painted by hand. The 'scaffolding', from
which the workers paint the hoarding with a four inch paint brush, consists of six pieces
of bamboo lashed together. The boss refuses to supply paint rollers with
extensions which would at least reduce the time spent on the scaffolds (and make the
job quicker?). See our two page spread in the recent Hazards magazine (No 78) at
www.hazards.org for more.
First Inspiration seminar conducted
As part of the project with four of the Thai national trade union centres a series of
seminars are being conducted to expose Trainers and Facilitators to further
information on accident prevention, rehabilitation, workers'
compensation, and occupational health and safety management
systems. A number of
interesting speakers addressed the Seminar.
In the photo is Somboon Srikhamdokkae who has byssinosis, a lung disease
caused by exposure to cotton dust in humid atmospheres.
Somsak Kanaprasertporn from the Rehabilitation Centre, Narong Limprasertporn (obscured) was severely injured
(he lost both feet) by 25,000 volts through electric cabling which was not properly
insulated. He is now very positive about occupational health and safety!
Staff at OHSEI
OHSEI has six Thai staff who, more than anything, keep the Institute going. Our
relations with Thai trade unions are in the hands of Thai Coordinators: Chalida
Srisahaburi and Parichat Choeichaiyaphoom. Chalida has been involved with the Thai trade
union movement in a variety of guises for many years. She has worked with TWARO and the
ILO. Parichat C was employed as Coordinator by the Labour Congress of Thailand (LCT)
funded by ICFTU-APRO. Kuljira Asawateeranan keeps our books.
Parichat Suntararak keeps our PCs and the web site in operation.Weerawan Prasarnsook is our
office assistant and is learning English and computing skill. Krisana Jinarat the project
secretary is currently nursing her new baby son.
Visit our web site and use the material there
As we conduct more training activities we add the training materials for them to our
web site (www.ohseinstitute.org).Recently we have begun adding materials which can be
used for study circles/discussion groups on aspects of PPE.
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One column materials have been
developed as fillers for union journals. If you have some space in your next journal, or
wish to include a regular feature on occupational health and safety please look
in the Union Column section of our web site
for ideas. Please feel free to make use of either form of material. We would like, but do not
demand, acknowledgement.
Materials for OHSEI members
The OHSEI website will soon begin adding occupational health, safety and environment information relevant to the
various industry sectors from which our affiliates are drawn. Each site may contain
information useful to other industry sectors
so have a look. The first section will include relevant links for
the Education sector. These links give ideas for teachers:
- and other school staff about the hazards of their work.
- about how to raise awareness of workplace hazards for students who
will soon enter the workplace.
You might like to visit these Websites:
The virtual school has been developed by
WorkSafe Victoria: www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/hrm/ohs/school/index.htm.
Safety Zone (www.workcover.cadre.com.
au/index_1st.html) allows those participating to select from typical hazard situations
(forklifts, working at heights, moving, chemicals, noise, machines, electrical). This
program reinforces the idea of thinking before working. At each step there is a
choice: do a safety check or proceed. Inevitably proceeding leads to trouble: you
fall from the roof, you lose your fingers, etc.
Information and training (www.workcover. com/traing/index.html) gives some serious
information about how to work safely. The areas of study include: Dealing with hazards;
Lifting and carrying; Chemicals; Noise; Electricity; Machinery.
The virtual kitchen allows would be cooks to identify and control typical hazards at
Hospitality Industry Virtual Kitchen Smart Move gives teachers and students a
range of learning related to:
Campaign 2002
As part of the two Thai projects for last year and this year there has been a campaign
activity designed to raise awareness of workers that they can do something about
occupational health, safety and environment hazards. This year the campaign has involved
activities for May Day, during National Safety Week, and during June.
During June the activities will be taken around various industrial suburbs of Bangkok. Four
national centres and one trade union federation have created a Trade union
coordinating committee on occupational health, safety and environment (TUCC-OHSE).
Trainers from both projects staff occupational
health, safety and environment awareness The booths involve groups of
trainers conducting activities such as: a topical quiz with
small prizes for correct answers; a survey by company to raise awareness
and collect information about occupational health, safety and environment in various
workplaces; use of material safety data sheets (MSDS) to inform workers about the hazards of
chemical with which they work; a body
mapping exercise (designed to identify
potential injuries or ill-health associated with
work). See Hazards (www.hazards.org) issue
No 61 for information on how to conduct Body
mapping activities.
At the May Day booth there was a lot of interest. A tourist from Victoria
(Oz) was also interested that workers were trying to improve health, safety and environment. He
talks here with OHSEI Director. |