Advance Training on OSH & HIV/AIDS in Chittagong ShipBreaking Industry:

An advance Training on Occupational Safety and Health & HIV/AIDS  for ship breaking workers was held on 2-26 May 2010  under OSHE/FNV project of “Integrated Actions in the Ship breaking Industry” at Hotel Regent Park, Chittagong. A total number of 22 foremen from different ship breaking yard nominated by six trade union organization in Chittagong division took part in this training.

The main objectives of this program are to make a pool of core trainer, to enhance the skills as a trainer on OSH & HIV/AIDS and to develop knowledge on BLA-2006 regarding health and safety in ship breaking industry.

The three-day long training course was scheduled as opening session, discussion session, group work, panel discussion and certificate distribution ceremony with the facilitation of different resource person, trainer and panel discussants.

Md. Omar Faruk, Programme Officer of OSHE introduced the training course carrying out a self introduction and a short presentation on the objectives and methods of this training. Then the team member of OSHE/FNV from six beneficiary trade union organizations in Chittagong division delivered opening speech in the context of training purpose.

In the discussion session on the 1st day, Md. Asaduzzaman, Joint Director (Labour), Department of Labor took a session on “Occupational Health and Safety: Bangladesh Labor Act, 2006.” In his session, he discussed on the different section of BLA-2006 related with wages, work hour, compensation, safety & health, trade union, welfare etc. Following this session he conducted a group work to find out the way to protect health and safety at work.

On the 2nd day, Md. Omar Faruk, Programme Officer of OSHE conducted a session on Occupational health and safety in ship breaking industry. A power point presentation on “HIV/AIDS and others sexual contagion diseases: Contamination, Prevention and Cure” was presented in this training by Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Programme Officer of S.K.U.S. focusing on the route & way of spreading HIV/AIDS, vulnerable groups of HIV/AIDS, precautions. After his discussion, to give a better idea about this, a drama on HIV/AIDS was shown. Then Dr. Tapan Kanti Das, Medical Office of OSHE Health Care Centre in Chittagong delivered some health tips on be healthy and follow usual healthy rules.

Intending to find out the Ergonomic problems of ship breaking workers, OSHE Programme Officer, Md. Omar Faruq took a session on “Hazard mapping activity on strains and overuse injuries” using a body mapping T-shirt. The major findings on the health problems and accidents that occur in ship breaking yard are as follows:

§         Pressing over iron plate or heavy materials

§         Fall from height

§         Gas explosion

§         Electrocution

§         Hand, leg, neck & back pain

§         Risk of asbestos contamination

§         Injury of hand or legs by the hit of iron materials

On the 3rd day, after this session, a panel discussion on “Role of trade union to ensure labour rights” was done with facilitation of six trade union leader from six beneficiary trade unions (Jatio Sramik League, Bangladesh Free Trade Union Congress, Trade Union Kendra, Bangladesh Labour Federation, Bangladesh Sanjukto Sramik Federation and Bangladesh Jatio Sramik Federation). In this session, the discussants pointed out the duties of trade union leader clearly. In this session, the participants also actively participated in open discussions and raise some demands to their leaders.

§        Negotiate with government to form a OSH policy in ship breaking industry as soon as possible;

§         Create pressure to the government for the effective inspection system;

§        Arranging to continue this type of programme  so that construction workers get benefit in the long run;

§        Bargain with employers to recruit safety officer with clear knowledge of OSH provisions in every yard.

Mr. Nitendra Nath Das, Deputy Chief Inspector, Inspectorate of Factories and Establishment took a session on “Inspection System: Ship breaking Industry”. In this session he shared his practical knowledge with the workers. He said that there is a lot of limitation and lack of manpower in our inspection system as well as unconsciousness of our workers.

At the end of the training, Mr. Safar Ali distributed certificates and closed the training with giving thanks.

Source: Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE); http://www.oshebd.org/news/CSR.html