Mine workers, owners and inspectorate officials committed to improving occupational safety and health in mines
The Department of Mines and Mineral Development Balochistan, in collaboration with the ILO Country Office for Pakistan, organized a series of training on Occupational Safety and Health for Mineworkers, Mine Owner and Mines Inspectorate officials.
QUETTA (ILO News): The Department of Mines and Mineral Development Balochistan, in collaboration with the ILO Country Office for Pakistan, organized a series of training on Occupational Safety and Health for Mineworkers, Mine Owner and Mines Inspectorate officials on 13-14 March 2021. Several mineworkers, mine owners, and inspectorate of mines officials participated in these trainings.
The training allowed the participants to discuss different issues faced by mines workers, mine owners, mines inspectorate and share possible solutions. The facilitators highlighted various aspects of the ILO's Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No. 176). Dr Rabia Zafar, the ILO consultant, shared examples from the field to advocate for the mineworkers' safety, unpack the role of mineworkers, mine owners, and mines inspectorate in this regard. The participants emphasized the employers' roles and responsibilities, rights and duties, and the need to promote cooperation between the employers and the workers.
During the discussion, participants highlighted several challenges such as limited availability of specific Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);lack of social security benefits; no registration of the mineworkers with government institutions; lack of effective gas detecting equipment in the mines to prevent accidents; use of sub-standard wooden planks; limited or no social dialogue sub-letting of the mines to contractors; lack of training and awareness of the mineworkers regarding their rights and safety. The participants called upon the need to have frequent training on OSH in mines and a dialogue between the mine owners, Inspectorate officials, and the mineworkers.
The training allowed the participants to discuss different issues faced by mines workers, mine owners, mines inspectorate and share possible solutions. The facilitators highlighted various aspects of the ILO's Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No. 176). Dr Rabia Zafar, the ILO consultant, shared examples from the field to advocate for the mineworkers' safety, unpack the role of mineworkers, mine owners, and mines inspectorate in this regard. The participants emphasized the employers' roles and responsibilities, rights and duties, and the need to promote cooperation between the employers and the workers.
During the discussion, participants highlighted several challenges such as limited availability of specific Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);lack of social security benefits; no registration of the mineworkers with government institutions; lack of effective gas detecting equipment in the mines to prevent accidents; use of sub-standard wooden planks; limited or no social dialogue sub-letting of the mines to contractors; lack of training and awareness of the mineworkers regarding their rights and safety. The participants called upon the need to have frequent training on OSH in mines and a dialogue between the mine owners, Inspectorate officials, and the mineworkers.