1. Overview
Managing occupational health and welfare involves taking steps to promote employee well-being and prevent illness and injury. This includes reducing stress, implementing a drugs and alcohol policy, and preventing bullying and harassment. All businesses in India must comply with the Factories Act, 1948, and the Indian Labor Act, which require employers to provide a safe and healthy work environment.
2. Promoting Occupational Health
Promoting occupational health is essential for all employers in India. It can bring numerous benefits, including:
- Lower absenteeism
- Improved relationships with customers and suppliers
- Improved productivity
- Reduced staff turnover
To promote occupational health, you should address:
- Stress
- Repetitive strain injury or work-related upper limb disorders
- Back pain
- Bullying, discrimination, and harassment
- Control of hazardous substances
- Heat, light, and noise
You should also promote health in areas such as:
- Smoking
- Drug and alcohol use
- Disease prevention and control
The Ministry of Labor and Employment provides guidance on promoting occupational health in Indian workplaces.
3. Key Occupational Health Issues
You should consider anything that affects your employees' welfare as an occupational health issue, including:
- Smoking, drug, and alcohol abuse
- Stress
- Back pain and repetitive strain injury (RSI)
- Control of hazardous substances
- Disease prevention and control
- Heat, light, noise, and vibration
- Radiation
- Violence, bullying, and harassment
- Work-life balance
The Indian Labor Act requires employers to provide a safe and healthy work environment and to protect employees from hazards.
4. Manage Occupational Health
To establish and maintain a working environment that safeguards staff welfare, you need to:
- Identify and involve workers in assessing workplace risks
- Assess and consider employees' needs when planning and organizing work
- Provide advice, information, and training to employees
- Regularly monitor and record employees' health
The Directorate General of Factory Advice Service and Labor Institutes (DGFASLI) provides guidance on managing occupational health in Indian workplaces.
5. Concerns in Different Industries
Depending on the industry, you and your employees may face specific occupational health issues, such as:
- Transport: drivers' comfort and posture, hours spent at the wheel
- Building and construction: employees' fitness for particular tasks, preventing injury and exposure to hazardous materials
- Manufacturing: excessive noise, temperature extremes, hazardous processes and materials
- Agriculture: stress, exposure to hazardous chemicals and zoonoses
- Offices: ergonomics, seating, desks, lighting, and screens
- Food and catering: allergies and infections posed by contact with certain substances
- Retail, hotel, and catering: protecting employees from third-party harassment
- Warehousing: exposure to sudden changes in temperature, lifting heavy items, and poor lighting
The Ministry of Labor and Employment provides guidance on industry-specific occupational health concerns.
6. Risks in the Workplace
The condition and cleanliness of your workplace directly impact employee welfare. You must meet minimum workplace standards under Indian health and safety laws, including:
- Clean toilets with water, soap, and a towel or drier
- Access to drinking water
- Clean working areas with waste regularly removed
- Adequate space to work in
- A comfortable working temperature
You must also ensure that your workplace and company vehicles are smoke-free.
For more information on occupational health and welfare in Indian workplaces, contact your local labor department or visit the website of the Directorate General of Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes (DGFASLI).