Realizing occupational safety and health in the SME sector

Dr. Champika Amarasinghe 

World Day for Safety and Health at Work falls on April 28

by Randima Attygalle

With COVID-19 health and safety protocols gaining priority, other work place related health and safety measures seem to be taking a backseat in certain industries. Waging a battle to raise credit to run their businesses and keep employees’ home fires burning in the pandemic-hit world, occupational safety and health (OSH) is largely undermined in small and medium (SME) enterprises.

In a bid to address OSH concerns of the SME sector, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), affiliated to the Ministry of Labour in collaboration with the Small Enterprises Development Division (SED) of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, launched a project to create awareness among industry owners. The three-month project which was launched last November and successfully completed in February this year, was funded by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The project identified 200 industries from Gampaha and Kalutara Districts. The Divisions of Bulathsinhala, Kelaniya, Katana, Weweldeniya, Bataleeya, Beruwala, Panadura, Negombo and Katana were selected for it. Among the chosen industries were garments, brassware, statue-making, batik, cane, jaggery-making, spices, envelope-making and small scale motels – all of which employed less than 20 people.

“The contribution of the informal sector including SMEs to GDP is as important as the contribution made by sectors such as garments, tea and foreign employment,” says Director General, NIOSH, Dr. Champika Amarasinghe. However, the informal sector which includes SMEs doesn’t come within the health and safety legislature of the country, she notes.

“This is a serious concern as occupational hazards, disability levels and other accidents in this sector do not get reported. Absence of compensation becomes a double whammy. Unlike in the case of large industries, OSH in the SMEs is hardly spoken of and that is the very reason for ILO to steer this project,” she added.

The National Policy Framework for SME Development introduced by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce recognizes SMEs as the ‘backbone of the economy’ accounting for more than 75% of the total number of enterprises, providing 45% of the employment and contributing 52% towards GDP. The SME Policy Framework aims to ‘promote high potential, promising SMEs and improve business environment to allow them to realize their full potential in today’s globalized economy.’ The OSH project is also aligned with this.

The ILO report on the theme of ‘Anticipate, prepare and respond to crises- Invest now in resilient OSH systems ‘ issued marking the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, 2021 (falling on April 28) notes: ‘A sound national OSH policy and regulatory framework is essential for the protection and promotion of physical and mental health at work. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the safety and health of workers worldwide.

`The risk of workplace transmission and other associated risks, brought about by the prevention and protection measures taken, have exacerbated existing and emerging OSH risks — including psychosocial risks, poor ergonomics, exposure to chemicals and workplace accidents. This situation calls for strong national OSH policies and regulatory frameworks to ensure that working environments are safe and healthy, and that there is a clear and well-known established set of rights and duties.’

One of the major outcomes of the project is the realization of the value of `investing in OSH’ for long term benefits, points out the NIOSH Director. “The responses to the questionnaires we sent out and the risk assessments carried out by our team reflected a high degree of risk-taking behaviour among these industries. The exposure to skin irritants/chemicals, unguarded furnaces and switches, absence of personal protective equipment, poor electrical and mechanical safety and unsafe machinery was notable.”

Despite the limitations triggered by the pandemic including quarantining of some of the participants and certain areas being isolated, the implementation of the program was a success, remarks Dr. Amarasinghe. “We conducted a series of on-site as well as on-line workshops which were well received. Industry owners and their employees were educated on OSH supporting structures and management policies.”

Development of the National Safety and Health Management System by NIOSH which will extend to SMEs is an ambitious outcome of the program that will enable cost effective OSH interventions including certification systems. “There are very simple yet effective OSH interventions which do not require a lot of money and one of the objectives of the project was to convey this message,” says Dr. Amarasinghe.

“The National Safety and Health Management System makes provisions for SME owners to improve their workstations adhering to optimum safety standards and also to get safe-certifications at an affordable price. Getting international certifications is a costly process which the majority of the SMEs cannot afford and we are supplementing this with a local system.”

The training has also made sharing of knowledge among communities possible. “Very often within the industries we chose, there are sub-contractors to whom the good practices can be extended. In addition, these industries can appoint an employee to be responsible for OSH within their respective industries,” says NIOSH Director. It has also opened a career path to those who aspire to follow courses in OSH offered by NIOSH, some of which are equivalent to NVQ Level 4.

“Following the training, these sectors have now established a link with us and we are happy to be providing the required know-how and assist those who want to go beyond the training and equip themselves professionally with OSH qualifications,” observed Dr. Amarasinghe who added that it is one of the approaches to make this effort sustainable. Replicating the experience in other parts of the island is also envisaged by the project.