Punjab government has evolved an effective action plan regarding occupational safety and health to secure the industrial workers who remain exposed to respire-able dust particularly Silica Dust Micro-crystals which causes a dangerous lungs disorder “Silicosis”. It has been also decided to adopt Environmental Ambiance Standards developed by Federal Environmental Protection Agency in Punjab also to safeguard the industrial workers from various health hazards.
This was disclosed by the Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Shamail Ahmad Khawaja while presiding over a meeting of subject core–committee regarding directions of Law & Justice Commission of Pakistan to prepare consensus implementation plan of the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan to chalk out action plan regarding control, rescue and treat the victims of silicosis. The committee reviewed the progress in implementing the action plan in detail and decided to send it to the Law & Justice Commission of Pakistan. The implementation status of this action plan includes the introduction of new law on occupational safety and health (OSH) besides ensuring installation of Cyclone Dust Collector & Bag Filters in the chimneys of the stone crushing and marble grinding units along with provision of high standard masks to the labourers working in vulnerable conditions. According to this action plan, mandatory health screening of the industrial workers of stone crushers, ceramics industry and marble grinding industry along with nomination of certified surgeons to treat the workers suffering from silicosis and another plan meant for capacity-building of labour inspectors at district level through an ADP Scheme came under discussion. The meeting was told that silicosis has been included in the check list of occupational hazards. The Additional Chief Secretary Shamail Ahmad Khawaja directed to provide Occupational Safety & Health Kits to the inspecting staff of provincial Labour & Human Resource Department working in 18 districts of the province where stone crushing and marble grinding units are mainly operational. The PC-II for training programme of Labour Inspectors will be prepared by Punjab Bureau of Statistics while the data of mine workers will also be submitted to Law & Justice Commission of Pakistan. The Labour Department has fixed a toll free universal access number 0800-73774 to get register any complaint regarding occupational hazards by the vulnerable industrial workers. Additional Chief Secretary directed the Information & Culture Department to launch awareness plan for safety from silicosis and said that periodical media campaign would be launched in the days to come so that industrial workers would not be unnecessarily exposed to Silica Dust causing silicosis. Secretary Labour & Human Resource Punjab Sohail Shehzad, Secretary Information & Culture Raja Jehangir Anwar and other senior officers participated in the meeting.