DGFASLI MEGA EVENTS
 
 

 

 

 

 

 


1ST NATIONAL FILM & BOOK EXHIBITION ON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH ON 29TH MAY, 2009 AT SCOPE COMPLEX, LODHI ROAD, NEW DELHI

The 1st National Film & Books Exhibition on Occupational Safety & Health was organized by DGFASLI, Ministry of Labour & Employment, Govt. of India, Mumbai, at SCOPE Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi on 29th May 2009.  The exhibition was well attended by 316 participants, which included officials from Ministry of Labour & Employment, DGFASLI, Trade Unions, Factory Management. Officials from Chief Inspector of Factories, ILO and other government organisations.

 

Shri S.K.Srivastava, Additional Secretary to the Govt. of India, Ministry of Labour & Employment delivering the key-note address. Seated from left to Right: Shri. S. K.Saxena, Director General, DGFASLI, Mumbai; Shri S. Krishnan, Special Secretary to the Govt. of India, Ministry of Labour & Employment; Smt. Sudha Pillai, Secretary to the Govt. of India,  Ministry of Labour & Employment and Shri. G.M.E.K.Raj, Director (Safety), DGFASLI, Mumbai

 

The inaugural function of the film Exhibition was presided over by Shri S. Krishnan, Special Secretary to the Govt. of India, Ministry of Labour & Employment and the programme started with Saraswati vandana. Shri. S. K.Saxena, Director General, DGFASLI welcomed Smt. Sudha Pillai, Hon’ble Secretary to the Govt. of India,  Ministry of Labour & Employment, Shri S. Krishnan, Special Secretary, Shri S.K. Srivastava, Additional Secretary, CIFs of varius State/UTs, Delgates and Press & Media officials. During the welcome address Shri. S. K.Saxena, Director General,  told that National Film & Book Exhibition on Occupational Safety & Health was organized as a part of the year 2008-09 as celebration of industrial safety and health.

 

After the welcome address, Shri S.K. Srivastava, Additional Secretary to the Govt. of India, Ministry of Labour & Employment, in his key-note address said that one of the powerful ways to prevent accidents or to inculcate safety and health culture at work place is dissemination of occupational safety and health (OS&H) knowledge to the industries through books and films.  While books update your knowledge, video effect of films leaves an everlasting impression in the mind of audience that catches attention, enhances understanding, retention of the subject matter and overcomes monotony. The industries have very limited access to the OS&H literature & films kept at libraries of DGFASLI and other OS&H institutions in the country.  One of the ways to get access to the latest OS&H knowledge of international standards to all stakeholders was considered possible through an open exhibition of OS&H books and films.  The stakeholders can select and buy the books and films of their choice and maintain a library of the same in their enterprises for educating and motivating their workforce. In his concluding remarks, he wished the exhibition a great success.

 

The Presidential address was delivered by Shri S. Krishnan, Special Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Labour & Employment.  He said it is difficult to bring about voluntary compliance through statutory measures. Willing compliance is possible only when a positive safety & health culture is developed in the factories and development of positive safety & health culture is possible through training and re-training of employees. Training and education of workers is an important issue which needs to be addressed using effective mass–media communication. DGFASLI, Ministry of Labour & Employment has prepared a number of short documentary films in the past on various subjects to promote safety and health awareness amongst the industrial workers. These films have been used in training programmes and diploma courses, workshops, etc. all over the country and the feedback received is quite encouraging.

 

After the presidential speech, Shri S. Krishnan, Special Secretary invited Smt. Sudha Pillai, Hon’ble Secretary to Govt. of India, Ministry of Labour & Employment, to inaugurate the 1st National Film & Book Exhibition on Occupational Safety & Health by lighting the lamp.

 

After lighting the lamp, Smt. Sudha Pillai, Hon’ble Secretary addressed the august gathering. In her inaugural speech, the Hon’ble Secretary urged the entrepreneurs to prioritise safety as similar to other activites like production, design, marketing, etc. During the recent years, India has emerged as a country having implemented higher OS&H standards at workplace at par international ones.  This has led to achievement of economic growth, showing the direct linkage of productivity with occupational safety and health. The industry may therefore consider an amount spent on implementing better OS&H systems at workplace as their true investment.  Hon’ble Secretary also highlighted that during the years 2001 – 2005,  the frequency rate of total industrial injuries per lakh Man-days worked have come down from 3.24 to 1.64, the rate of fatal Injuries have increased from 0.07 to 0.08.  The incidence rates of injuries, fatal as well as total, per thousand workers employed in factories however show a significant reduction in occurrence of injuries, she also told that in view of above, we should continuously be watchful and make our safety management systems foolproof for fatal injuries. Finally Hon’ble Secretary suggested organising Film & Book exhibition on yearly basis at different locations in the country so as to reach all OS&H stakeholders and update their latest safety related literature.

 

After the inaugural speech of the Hon’ble Secretary, the documentary film named “Silicosis – A Killer Disease” produced by DGFASLI was screened. After the screening of the film, Shri. G.M.E.K.Raj, Director (Safety), DGFASLI, Mumbai delivered the vote of thanks.

Later, Smt. Sudha Pillai, Hon’ble Secretary also inaugurated the book exhibition.  There were 10 book & film Exhibition stalls arranged by DGFASLI. Films Division of India, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, New Delhi was one among them displaying CDs of OS&H films.

 

After the morning tea break, the following films were screened in the auditorium:

1.                  Safety in Construction Industry produced by DGFASLI, Mumbai.

2.                  Occupational Health Hazards (B&W) produced By Films Division, Mumbai

3.                  Safety in Ship-breaking Industry produced by DGFASLI, Mumbai.

4.                  Safety Orientation and Contractor Safety produced by M/s. Coastal Training Technologies India              Pvt. Ltd., Chennai.

5.                  Stay Healthy with Computer produced by DGFASLI, Mumbai.

6.                  Seismic Second - The Bhopal Disaster produced by IFFCO Aonla, Uttarpradesh.

 

After the lunch break, the following films are screened:

1.                  Safety Can Save You (B&W) produced by Films Division, Mumbai

2.                  Beware of Asbestosis produced by DGFASLI, Mumbai.

3.                  Safety Induction For Workmen produced by M/s L&T, ECC Chennai

4.                  A film on OS&H produced by M/s Durgapur Steel Plant

 

After screening of the above films, Shri G.M.E.K Raj, Director (Safety), DGFASLI, requested the delegates to give feed-back about the book and film exhibition and he also requested Shri S.K. Saxena, Director General, DGFASLI, to chair the concluding session.  All the delegates expressed that this type of book and film exhibition needs to be conducted every year and this programme was very educative and informative.  One union representative expressed that DGFASLI may advise the film producers and book publishers to sell films and books on OS&H on concessional rates so that the industries and the other concerned agencies can easily purchase such valuable books and films. One of the management representatives suggested that apart from the Industrial Safety, other areas like home safety, road safety, safety in unorganized sector are required to be covered. One delegate requested to explore the possibility of distributing the DGFASLI films free of cost to the industries and he appreciated the efforts taken by the DGFASLI in organizing an unique programme of this type and he congratulated DGFASLI officials for successfully organizing this programme. 

 

Shri S.K. Saxena, Director General, DGFASLI., in his concluding remark, informed delegates that the efforts will be taken by DGFASLI to screen not only the films produced by DGFASLI,  even other films on OS&H  can also be screened on the national network in the national language.  Further, Director General informed that the films produced by DGFASLI are in 8 regional languages and these films can also be screened on regional network so that wide publicity on OS&H is made in all regions through national and regional languages.  He expressed sincere thanks to delegates  and their organization for actively participating in the programme and he requested all the delegates to spread the message on OS&H to the other persons who were not able to participate in this programme and he invited the delegates to join for a cup of tea.

 

26TH CONFERENCE OF DOCK SAFETY INSPECTORS AT KOCHI

Seated third from left, Shri S.K.Saxena, Director General, DGFASLI, Mumbai along with the participants.

 

The 26th Conference of the Dock Safety Inspectors was held at Kochi on 27-28 May, 2009. The conference was inaugurated by Shri N. Ramchandran Nair, IPS, Chairman, Kochi Port Trust. In his inaugural address, he appreciated the service rendered by the dock safety in the field of safety, health and welfare of the dock workers. He emphasized that for the productivity and the overall health of the organization, it was necessary that the organization itself is healthy and only then the safety and health of the workers can be ensured. He also laid stress on standardization of various protocols and that should be made compulsory for everybody. He informed the gathering that the Kochi Port was an ‘E-Port’ and that all the activities were being computerized so that they are integrated and the error margins are brought down.

 

The Director General and Chief Inspector of Dock Safety, Shri S.K.Saxena, is his key-note address brought forward the new challenges facing the Dock Safety Inspectorates. He highlighted that the privatization of the port and employment of contract and private workers was an important issue. He congratulated the Kochi Port Trust for being the first ‘E-Port’ in the country and said that this would help the track of people and accidents. He said that the conference was important as it would be discussing the amendments suggested by the committee constituted for this purpose.

 

In the technical sessions, a presentation was made on the amendments to the Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act, 1986 and  Regulation 1990 and the Inspectors deliberated on the various amendments suggested by the working group