Policy on occupational health mooted

Ishara Mudugamuwa

The Health Ministry has taken measures to create a national policy on occupational health services with the objective to produce a healthy and productive workforce, said Health Ministry Additional Secretary Palitha Maheepala participating in a workshop on Occupational Health yesterday at Hotel Renuka, Colombo.

He also said that a healthy and productive workforce is very much essential for sustainable development. Sri Lanka has a workforce of eight million and it is increasing day by day. So it is necessary to increase occupational health service to create a productive and health workforce.

'Workers all over the world are faced with a multitude of health hazards, such as, dust, gases, noise, vibration, extreme temperatures, radiation, chemical exposures, etc.

As a result of the hazards and a lack of attention given to health and safety, work related accidents and diseases are common in all parts of the world.

Employers have the moral and often legal responsibility to protect workers, he said.

The Additional Secretary also said that according to the World Health Organization, more than two million people die around the globe annually due to occupational accidents.

It is estimated that at least 250 million occupational accidents occur every year world wide. The number of fatal accidents is much higher in developing countries than in industrialized once.

'More than 80 percent of the global workforce engage in informal workplaces. Most people in employment spend 60 percent of their working hours in workplaces.

A healthy work place designed to protect and promote health and well-being is the key to preventing illness among workers.

Therefore, there is a great need to provide occupational health and safety to our workers by promoting health of workers, preventing adverse effects on health caused by their working conditions, protecting workers from unhealthy work environments', he said.

The workshop was organized by the Environmental and Occupational Health Unit of the Health Ministry.

Director General of Health Ajith Mendis, WHO Representative Edvine Salvador, Environmental and Occupational Health Regional Adviser Salma Burton and many other distinguished officials also participated.