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Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Medknow Publications
ISSN: 0973-2284 EISSN: 1998-3670
Vol. 11, Num. 1, 2007, pp. 1-2
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Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Vol. 11, No. 1, January-April, 2007, pp. 1-2
Editorial
Construction industry: More needs to be done
Kulkarni GK
Editor - IJOEM, Indian Association of Occupational Health
Correspondence Address:Siemens Ltd., Kalwa Works, Thane-Belapur Road, Thane - 400 601
Code Number: oe07001
The
construction industry is an essential contributor to the process of
development. Roads, dams, irrigation works, school, house, hospitals,
factories and other construction works are the physical foundation on
which development efforts and improving living standards are
established. The products of the construction industry are investment
or capital goods. Thus construction industry has linkage with rest of
the economy in terms of generation of output and employment. The two
broad categories of construction projects are building and civil
engineering. Building applies to projects involving houses, offices,
shops, factories, schools, hospitals, power plants, railway stations
and so on. Civil engineering applies to all the other built structures
in our environments, including roads, tunnels, bridges, railways, dams,
canals and docks.
In
the context of liberalization, of the Indian economy, domestic and
foreign investment is likely to flow in various infrastructure projects
in a big way and construction activity is likely to boom in the country
in the next ten years to come. FDI is expected to touch 150 Billion US$
in next ten years. The construction industry, which is a labor
intensive, generates demand for skilled and semi-skilled labor force.
The employment in construction sector is expected to touch 40 Million
by the year 2007. This work force shall comprise 55 % of unskilled
labor, 27 % skilled labor and rest the technical and support staff.
Though India has the human resource, it requires training in various
skills for absorption in the construction industry.
The wok force in construction sector is most vulnerable because
employment is permanently temporary, the employer and employee
relationship is very fragile and most of the time short-lived, the work
has inherent risk to life and limb due to lack of safety, health and
welfare facilities, coupled with uncertain working hours. Construction
labor form 7.5% of the world labor force and contributes to 16.4% of
fatal global occupational accidents. In India it is the largest
economic activity after agriculture, Health and Safety most neglected
sector and accident and occupational disease statistic not accurately
available.
The construction industry is not only the
process of building. It involves many other type of aside from the
building process, such as painting, landscaping, electrical supply,
telecommunications, plastering and paving. All these types of work make
up one industry, but each of them involves different exposure and thus
differing health hazards.
Construction workers are
exposed to a wide variety of health hazards at work. The exposure
differs from job to job. He work-related diseases form 5% to 20% of the
work force. The hazards for construction workers are typically as
follows:
- Physical hazards and mechanical injuries
and outcome, like injuries, exposure to noise and vibration, extreme
heat or cold, work in windy, rainy, snowy or foggy weather, nonionizing
ultraviolet radiation usually from exposure to the sun and electric arc
welding.
- Chemical hazards such as dusts, fume, mists, vapors
or gases. The biggest risk the construction work force is Silicosis and
asbestosis.
- Ergonomic issues and degenerative disorders
- Biological
hazards and Environmental diseases; Workers are at risk of malaria,
dengue, animal attacks and histoplasmosis (a lung infection caused by a
common soil fungus) and other diseases due to poor sanitation and
unsafe drinking water.
- Psycho-social hazards: Employment is
permanently temporary, frequently changing employer and most projects
require living in work camps away from one's home and family. There is
no recreational facilities, lack of access to education for children,
poor sanitary facilities and lack of safe drinking water. These
features of construction work, as well as heavy workload, possibility
of work place violence or community violence and limited social support
are the factors associated with increase stress in the work force. The
associated addictions with alcohol, tobacco and smoking contribute to
illness and suffering.
In India there are about
four million workers in the construction industry. Of these, female
workers represent a small, unknown number, but now they are
increasingly working in urban projects. The problems of women worker is
still not addressed adequately both by law makers and the employer.
There is urgent need to bring legislative stability to employment
status, risk reduction by onsite safety management and imparting
training and skill development as demanded by the type of construction
sector, health protection and promotion through preventive vaccination
and family welfare programs. It is desirable that adequate staffing and
strengthening of regulatory agency, coupled with environmental risk
assessment studies and regular construction site audits shall safe
guard the interests of construction worker in our country. Government
must also create mechanism for feed back from NGO, National Safety
Council, IAOH, Research institutes and other global networking partners
and institute mid course correction policies from time to time.
Employer must also focus on providing decent housing, safe water
educational and recreational facilities construction employees. In
conclusion, the government and all stake holders connected with
construction industry must aim at accident prevention (save life and
save limb), health protection and psycho-social health, education,
training and skill development, must strengthen legal machinery and
increase public awareness on OHS legislation and standards and scope
for applied research and development. In my humble opinion this is
minimum wish list for change one expects from people connected with
construction sector.
Copyright 2007 - Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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