Page 250 - DMGT406_HUMAN_RESOURCE_MANAGEMENT

Unit 14: Workplace Safety and Health

7. Today employers are not obliged to give their employees safe, healthy and secure Notes
environment.
8. Designing safety policies and rules and disciplining violators are important components
of safety efforts.
9. Convincing employees to keep safety standards continuously in mind while performing
their jobs is easy.
10. Wellness programmes are designed to maintain or improve employee health before
problems arise.

11. Safety involves protecting the mental well being of people only.

14.4 Industrial Safety and Health

In India, the Factories Act, 1948 stipulated certain requirements regarding working conditions
with a view to provide safe working environment. These provisions relate to cleanliness, disposal
of waste and effluents, ventilation and temperature, dust and fume, artificial humidification,
over-crowding, lighting, drinking water, latrine, urinals and spittoons.
Workmen's Compensation: Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923 is intended to meet the
contingency of invalidity and death of a worker due to an employment injury or an occupational
disease specified under the Act at the sole responsibility of the employer. The Act covers the
employees whose wages are less than 500 per month. Dependants of the employee are eligible
for compensation in case of death of the employee.
Health Benefits: Today, various medical services like hospital, clinical and dispensary facilities
are provided by organisations not only to employees but also to their family members.
Employees State Insurance Act, 1948, is applicable to all factories, establishments running with
power and employing 20 or more workers. Employees in these concerns and whose wages do
not exceed 1,000 per month are eligible for benefits under the Act. Benefits under this Act
include:
1. Sickness Benefit: Insured employees are entitled to get cash benefit for a maximum of
56 days in a year under this benefit.
2. Maternity Benefit: Insured women employees are entitled to maternity leave for 12 weeks
(six weeks before the delivery and six weeks after the delivery) in addition to cash benefit
of 75 paise per day or twice of sickness benefit, whichever is higher.

3. Disablement Benefit: Insured employees, who are disabled temporarily or permanently
(partial or total) due to employment injury and/or occupational diseases are entitled to
get the cash benefit under this head.
4. Dependant's Benefit: If an insured person dies as a result of an employment injury sustained
as an employee, his dependants who are entitled to compensation under the Act, shall be
entitled to periodical payments referred to as dependant's benefit.

5. Medical Benefit: This benefit shall be provided to an insured employee or to a member of
his family where the benefit is extended to his family. This benefit is provided in the
following forms:
(a) outpatient treatment, or attendance in a hospital, dispensary, clinic or other
institutions;

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