Indian National Safety Day

MARCH 4

The National Safety Day Campaign being spearheaded by the National Safety Council of India for nearly three decades to mark its Foundation Day (4th March) has significantly contributed to reduction in the rate of industrial accidents and created wide spread safety awareness even in such sectors which have not been covered by any safety legislation. The campaign is comprehensive, general and flexible with an appeal to the participating organisations to develop specific activities as per their safety requirements.

The Campaign celebrates the foundation by the Government of India of the National Safety Council (NSC) in the Ministry of Labour on 4 March 1966 as an autonomous, non-political and non-profit-making organization at the national level to generate, develop and sustain a voluntary movement with respect to occupational safety and health (OSH). The NSC's Board of Governors is broad-based, with representation from all the central organizations of employers and trade unions. Total membership was approximately 4,000 in April 1995, drawn predominantly from the industrial sector, although there also is some membership from non-industrial sectors. In 1966, industrial workplaces in India experienced a rising trend of accidents, and enforcement of safety and health statutes by government agencies alone was not sufficient to reverse this trend. The birth of the NSC as a voluntary body in such a national perspective therefore constituted an important milestone. For many years, the NSC mainly concerned itself with industrial safety; however, with the coverage of some non-industrial sectors in recent years, its scope has been expanded from industrial to occupational safety. The coverage of occupational health, however, is still in its infancy in India. As the idea found favour of commemorating the foundation day of the NSC in the form of a national awareness campaign, the first NSD Campaign was launched in 1972. NSD became an annual event, and even though the duration of the Campaign has been increased to a week, it continues to be known as the National Safety Day Campaign due to the popularity that the title has gained.

Objectives

to take Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) movement to different parts of the country.

to achieve participation of major players in different industrial sectors at different levels.

to promote use of participative approach by employers by involving their employees in SHE activities.

to promote development of need-based activities, self-compliance with statutory requirements and professional SHE management systems at work places.

to bring into the fold of voluntary SHE movement sectors, which have not so far been statutorily covered.

to remind employers, employees and others concerned of their responsibility in making the workplace safer.

METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH

InitialAppeal to the Members to organise theCampaign.

Supply them with professionally designed promotional materials and promotional-cum-utility items with SHE slogans/messages printed on them.These materials are centrally designed, produced and distributed by the Council with following aims :

Convenience in organising the Campaign. Ensuring that the materials are of professionalquality with appealing messages reflecting national SHE issues.

Generating fund to contribute to NSC's financial self-reliance.

Expanded

Secured Government support at the national level.

Electronic media advised by the government to promote coverage which has made the Campaign highly visible.

Effective use of NSC's journal, newspapers and house magazines of industries.

Duration of the Campaign increased to a week.This has increased the span of the visible impact of the Campaign.

State Chapters and District Action Centres of NSC actively following up and involving State Governments and District Administrations in the Campaign at the grassroot level.

Text of National Safety Day Pledge

On this day, I solemnly affirm that I will rededicate myself to the cause of safety, health and protection of environment and will do my best to observe rules, regulations and procedures and develop attitudes and habits conducive for achieving these objectives.

I fully realize that accidents and diseases are a drain on the national economy and may lead to disablement, death, damage to health and property, social suffering and general degradation of environment.

I will do everything possible for prevention of accidents and occupational diseases and protection of environment in the interest of self, my family, community and the nation at large.

(In some states, the above pledge has been administered by the Governor of State to state ministers, other government officials, executives and workers from industries, and the public participating in NSD functions. In private enterprise, it is usual for the chief executive or some other top executive to administer the pledge to all employees.)