U N U Naing ing Thein hein Aung Aung Secretary for etary for Organizing Department Organizing Department AFFM AFFM – IUF UF 29-30 September, 2016.
The ILO has adopted more than 40 standards specifically dealing with occupational safety and health, as well as over 40 Codes of Practice. Nearly half of ILO instruments deal directly or indirectly with occupational safety and health issues.
Occupational Occupational Safety and Heal Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) th Convention, 1981 (No. 155) Occupational Occupational Health Services Health Services Convention, 1985 Convention, 1985 (No. 161) (No. 161) Promotional Framework for Promotional Framework for Occu Occupational pational Safety and Health Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187) Convention, 2006 (No. 187) Safety and Health in Agricul Safety and Health in Agriculture Convention, 2001 ure Convention, 2001 (No. 184) (No. 184) Safety and Health in Constr Safety and Health in Construction Convention, 1988 (No. uction Convention, 1988 (No. 167) 167)
Can represent the voice of workers Provides documentation as well as good record keeping and overall transparency Enhances evaluation process by providing better structured and coherent monitoring Educates agricultural workers about effective labour laws
Accept meetings with union representatives Discuss with union representatives relevant topics and approaches for meeting targets Follow up the collective agreement of Tripartite/Bipartite meeting Foster a healthy relationship and good practices for effectively communicating with Trade Unions.
Encourage good communication practices between Trade Unions and legislative bodies. Promote effective discourse when addressing the needs of workers. Encourage receptiveness and understanding amongst all participants
70 % of employment are in Agriculture Targeted area of economic reform
Foreword : ◦ Agriculture is one of three most hazardous occupations, next to mining and construction. ◦ 355,000 fatal accidents take place every year ; ◦ Over half of these take place in Agriculture (Note : Agriculture is largest sector for female employment in many countries; it accounts for 70% of child labour worldwide.)
Ref: ICESCR Art 7 (b) – the right of everyone to “Safe and healthy working conditions” “Protection of workers’ safety and health is a fundamental human right,” Seiji Machida, head of ILO’s SafeWork Programme, Sept 2012, in response to Karachi factory fire.
To fulfil this, Employers should have a preventive approach – ie. aim to prevent accidents and injury to health – by eliminating, minimising or controlling hazards in working environment ; Need to set up a system.
Employ Employer ers must preve must prevent t harm by harm by IDENTIFYING fores IDENTIFYING foreseeable ble hazards, hazards, ◦ under undertak take ASSESSM SSMENT of T of ris risk s s an and ELIMINATING them d ELIMINATING them or or have have A PLAN A PLAN TO P PROTECT w OTECT workers rkers from these h ese hazards zards ; ; Establ Establish a h a SYSTE SYSTEM FOR WORKERS’ PART FOR WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION in health ICIPATION in health and safety and safety ◦ (includ (including el ng electi ecting health and ng health and saf safety ty rep reps, , and a joint and a joint managem management/uni nt/union on committe committee) Keep A A HAZARD R REGISTER w where h ere hazard zards s ar are i e iden entified tified ◦ Keep Keep an ACCIDENT an ACCIDENT REGISTER REGISTER of all of all accidents ccidents that caused or might have that caused or might have ◦ caused harm caus ed harm NOTIFY THE NOTIFY THE UNION of any serious harm UNION of any serious harm injurie injuries or or occupational disease occupational disease. ◦ IDENTIFICATION IDENTIFICATION OF HAZA OF HAZARDOUS CHEMIC RDOUS CHEMICALS S AND RECORD AND RECORD IN REGISTE IN REGISTER ; ◦ Exposure MONITORING , Exposure MONITORING , HEAL HEALTH SURVE TH SURVEILL LLANCE ANCE ; ; ◦ PROVIDE OH&S INFORMA PROVIDE OH&S INFORMATION, INST ION, INSTRUCTION RUCTION & TRAINING to employees & TRAINING to employees ◦ PROVIDE WORKERS WITH ALL NECESSA PROVIDE WORKERS WITH ALL NECESSARY RY SAFETY EQUIPM SAFETY EQUIPMENT ENT (PPE) at (PPE) at the the ◦ employ employer er’s ’s expens expense LABE LABELLING ING , WARNING , WARNING SIGNS ; SIGNS ; ◦ obtain sufficient information to obtain sufficie nt information to FULFIL L LEGISLATIVE R SLATIVE REQUIREMENTS QUIREMENTS ◦ provide for E provide for EMERGENC ERGENCIES IES ◦ provide provide and maintain AM and maintain AMENITIE ITIES ◦ provide FIRST AID FACILITIES AND provide FIRST AID FACILITIES AND PERSONNEL PERSONNEL ◦
Minimum age in agriculture – not less than 18 years. (Art 16) temporary and seasonal workers receive the same safety and health protection as that accorded to comparable permanent workers in agriculture (Art 17) special needs of women agricultural workers are taken into account in relation to pregnancy, breastfeeding and reproductive health.(Art 18) competent authority shall prescribe, after consultation with the representative organizations of employers and workers concerned - welfare facilities and accommodation standards (Art 19) WORKING TIME ARRANGEMENTS, Article 20 : Hours of work, night work and rest periods for workers in agriculture shall be in accordance with national laws and regulations or collective agreements.
Background documents are : ILO Convention 184 - Safety and Health in Agriculture Convention, 2001) ILO Code of Practice (OSH, Agriculture) 2010. Relevant National policy and legislation
Prepare a well-founded document (report) of the OSH situation at the workplace; Inform workers (and AFFM - IUF) and obtain their support to raise issue with management ; Seek a meeting with management by sending the report ; (if the employer is a TNC, go through the IUF) Aim to secure OSH agreement from management to have a system system and a plan a plan to protect workers ;
Post agreement : ◦ Inform workers of the agreement and about the next step ; ◦ Start training union leaders to negotiate implementation of the OSH agreement
Chemicals : (including Paraquat, Endosulfan) ◦ “contamination of surface water and groundwater pollution can result from the large-scale application of fertilizers, pesticides and agrochemicals in beans and pea growing area” “In this study it was found that more than 70% Agri labours were unaware about the hazardous effects of common chemicals use in bean, pea and rubber plantation” – Sprayers (many casuals) are generally unprotected, as are their handling of chemicals supposed to be an 8-10 day gap between spraying and plucking, but many vegetable and fruits estate owners do not allow their workers to follow this safety measure. Despite the dangerous exposure to toxic materials, workers are often not provided with protective and safety gear such as masks, gloves, goggles, rubber boots, and polythene aprons.11 Environmental problem : Diarrhoea, Malaria, and others water-borne ◦ disease are ‘Acute Problem’ of the bean and pea belts Welfare facilities – water, toilets , housing (see Code of Practice ILO ) ◦
Common use of Paraquat, a herbicide linked to Parkinson's disease, cancer and reduced fertility. marketed globally as Gramoxone. (Today, paraquat is banned in over 30 countries due to its severe impacts on human health) Goodbye Paraquat Goodbye Paraquat – Rubber, Beans and Corn Producers Saying No to Hazardous Pesticide,
Noise- above 85 decibels ; Bagasse Dust, Heat, Chemical (e.g Laboratory chemical like lead)
AFFM – IUF awareness and campaign on Goodbye Paraquat in Agriculture Sector from 2015 August – 2016 April Stop Glyphosate Campaign
In October 2016, Raising awareness on Global Agreement (Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants) to “phase out” the farm insecticide endosulfan
What role do you want us to play ? Support unions wanting to prepare to raise demand for an agreement with major employers on OSH prevention ? Encourage affiliates in this sector to be more conscious of OSH issues and workers rights ?
Reduce using chemical in Agriculture Increasing GDP Economic recover
Laws are needed to better define labour rights Laws are needed to better enforce the laws on labour rights and better see plans to fruition Laws are needed to more accurately interpret/ better clarify the laws on labour rights
after AFFM - IUF raising the issue.
Recommend
More recommend
