Work Improvement for Safe Home: Action manual for improving safety and health of E-waste workers

An illustrated manual that aims to assist e-waste workers in improving their safety, health and productivity and shows many low-cost ideas that e-waste workers can easily adopt by using locally-available materials.

This manual consists of a 22-item action-checklist and nineteen checkpoints for improving OSH of e-waste workers. The action-checklist is designed as an easy-to-apply tool for e-waste workers to identify and improve their OSH risks. The 19 checkpoints cover materials storage and handling, work-stations, safe use of machine and electricity, physical environment, welfare facilities and work organization and provide practical ideas for solutions. Many clear-cut illustrations showing simple, low-cost ways for improvements are associated.

The manual was developed based on the ILO’s WISH (Work Improvements for Safe Home) manual. Many home-based manufacturing workers in different countries have implemented these practical, low-cost ideas - shown in the WISH manual - and have found that now their workplaces are safer, healthier and they are more productive. Based on WISH’s success, this manual has been redesigned specifically for small-sized, e-waste workplaces.

The training manual was tested in e-waste workplaces in New Delhi, India and the participating e-waste workers were able to understand their OSH risks and make action plans for improving their workplaces.