Posted On: 2023-04-28 12:51:33
Workplace hazards are underrepresented in news circles. According to the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, 1.7 crores of non-fatal injuries (17% of the world), and 45,000 fatal injuries (45% of the world) happen in India alone.
Employers tend to take undue advantage of their employees’ plight, ignorance, and desperation. Therefore, it is necessary to be educated about the laws that were solely created for the safety of the workers.
However, this is a global problem, and to raise awareness about this issue, The United Nations marks 28th April as World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
On 28th April, United Nations tries to promote Occupational Safety and Health and provides support to the national efforts to improve occupational safety and health.
We would like to do our contribution, by informing our readers about five laws that were solely designed to keep you safe at work. So, without wasting further time, let’s start this list.
This law introduced in 2019 combined 13 major labour laws into one single unified code. It states that the workplace should be kept free from hazards, and employers must make sure that toxic and hazardous waste is properly discarded. Employers must also ensure free annual health checkups for their employees. If a factory has more than 250 workers, the employer has to employ a welfare officer. Also, creche facilities (nursing) should be created for a factory with more than fifty female employees.
More Information:
https://www.lawrbit.com/article/the-occupational-safety-health-and-working-conditions-code-2019/
This law fixes the minimum wage that employers must give to their employees. Anything lower than that would be considered as ‘forced labour’. However there is no uniform wage for the entire nation, and it differs from region to region. This is a guide that should help you to determine the minimum wage in your locality.
https://maitri.mahaonline.gov.in/pdf/minimum-wages-act-1948.pdf
Also known as POSH (Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act), is an applause-worthy act introduced in 2013 to protect women in their workplace. According to this act, an employer must have an Internal Complaints Committee, which must be headed by a woman.
https://www.indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/2104
Disabled people have historically been forced to rely on others for their daily needs. However, due to the rise in activism, disabled people are becoming independent by the day. The Disabilities Act, 2016 ensures that a disabled person shall face no discrimination in the workplace. It also states that an establishment having more than 20 employees must appoint a Liason officer to oversee the recruitment of disabled people. Establishments are also required to identify job vacancies, which would be appropriate for disabled people.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5419007/
According to this act, every worker is entitled to one leave per week. The establishment also cannot deduce the worker’s pay for a weekly leave. This has been a great boost to the physical and mental health of the employees.
https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/library/resource/weekly-holidays-act-1942/
Thank you for reading this article. Please share this blog with your friends and family members, to make them aware of these laws.
Author: Adil Sayyad
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