In 2016 PSI Asia Pacific Electricity Unions determined to put Workplace Health and Safety at the head of their agenda for Change, at sector Workshops and the PSI APRECON (Congress).
PSI Affiliate WAPDA Union, has supplied the latest up date to the Unions Campaign, below. PSI Affiliates who would like to share their actions and experiences on Health and Safety , can send their stories to the below gmail address on this blog page .
Thousand of Electricity Distribution, Transmission and Generation
employees observed “NATIONAL DAY FOR PROMOTION OF HEALTH AND SAFETY for
prevention of Accidents all over the country under the aegis of ALL PAKISTAN
WAPDA HYDRO ELECTRICITY WORKERS UNION
C.B.A. to prevent tragic Fatal Accidents occurring more than 100 of
the Line Staff and far more becoming permanently disable every year.
This day was observed in various cities by holding Safety Conference
taking out Procession and Seminar in the various major cities. Hundred of
Elecy. Workers took out Procession from Bakhtiar Labour Hall, Lahore and
marched through Nisbat, Mcleod and Abbot Road carrying Banners demanding
“PROVIDE SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS AND PREVENT THE TRAGIC ACCIDENTS OF Electricity Workers ”. The widows of the deceased Electricity Workers also joined Protest
Procession.
Thereafter a Safety Conference was held at Bakhtiar Labour Hall, Lahore
under the aegis of the Union which was participated by many hundred Trade Union
representatives and workers and was presided over Veteran Trade Union Leader
Khurshid Ahmed General Secretary of the Union and was addressed by Haji
Muhammad Younus, Osama Tariq, Rana Abdul Shakoor, Muzaffar Mateen, Rana
Muhammad Akram and others.
At this occasion Dr. Rana Abdul Jabbar General Manager NTDC & Fazal
Kareem
General Manager Hydel WAPDA also addressed the workers and appealed to them not to work without observing safety at workplace and assured full support to the workers for ensuring safe working conditions to them.
General Manager Hydel WAPDA also addressed the workers and appealed to them not to work without observing safety at workplace and assured full support to the workers for ensuring safe working conditions to them.
At this occasion Director Area Office ILO Ms. Ingrid Christensen sent
as message appreciating the working class for safe work. Khurshid Ahmed General
Secretary of the union appealed to the workers to safeguard their lives and
health at work place and refuse to work in case of absence of observance of
safety regulation.
He informed that although the rate of fatal accident has
decreased in 2017 numbering 83 in the year 2016-17 and numbering 28 since
July 2017. It requires concreted efforts to bring it to Zero.
The Conference in a resolution
expressed a great concern over the rising tragic fatal accident numbering more
than 100 and far more becoming victim of non-fatal accident causing permanent
disabilities every year, therefore, it demanded to the Electricity Management to get
observed Safety Regulation on 11 KV Lines of the Distribution Companies in
letter and spirit by getting observed shut down and earthing the lines from
both sides and provisions of standard Safety equipment including Bucket fitted
vehicles and arranging and enlarging the
Standard adequate Safety and Health Training to the Supervisory and Administrative
and Line Staff urgently. By another resolution the house called upon the
Provincial and Federal Government to get established
Independent Labour
Inspection Machinery in accordance with I.L.O. Convention No. 81 and get
adopted Progressive Safety and Health Laws in the country in accordance with
I.L.O. Convention No.155 whereas Pakistan is considered one of the Ten major
countries which has recorded the largest fatal and non-fatal accidents and
Occupational Diseases in Transport and Mines, Construction, Elecy. Textile
Industries.
Even Supreme Court of Pakistan has specially instructed the
Provincial Governments to get observed the Safety & Health Laws in letter
and spirit. It also demanded to the Provincial and Federal Government to amend
outdated Labour Laws and get imposed high penalties to those who caused
accident, Occupational Diseases due to their negligence to serve as deterrent
and amend outdated workmen compensation Act 1923 and raise the list of
occupational diseases in accordance with I.L.O.
Standards
and raise the compensation Rs. 3 Million in case of fatal accident of the
workers to their families. It also demanded to the Prime Minister of Pakistan
to hand over the complete control of Companies either to PEPCO or WAPDA instead
of handing over to the Members of B.O.D. who have conflict of interest being
themselves as major Elecy. Consumer.
Above media advice from Secretary 0333-4276811 or
Osama Tariq
Additional General Secretary
All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union C.B.A Lahore Pakistan.
Bakhtiar Labour Hall 28 Nisbet Road Lahore Pakistan.
Phone:- 0092-333-4276811
