Implementation of Health and Safety Laws for Workers in Sulphuric Acid Factories

Introduction: A laborer means a person doing unskilled manual work for wages. workman, worker,
working man, hand, manual worker, unskilled worker, blue-collar worker, hired hand , roustabout,
laboring man, drudge, menial; peon; rouseabout; mazdoor; khalasi; dated navy; historical cottar,
historical kanaka; archaic mechanic, cotter all come within the purview of laborers.

Plight of laborers is very deplorable within Pakistan, there are laws which govern the occupational
safety and health laws of laborers; but said labor laws are seldom implemented in its true sense. One of
the biggest and mammoth problems of laborers in Pakistan are, laborers working in a most hazardous,
and unhygienic working conditions.

To name a few; are the industries related and dedicated in manufacturing a sulphuric acid.

The main occupational risks posed by this acid are skin contact leading to burns and the inhalation of
aerosols. Exposure to aerosols at high concentrations leads to immediate and severe irritation of the
eyes, respiratory tract and mucous membranes: this ceases rapidly after exposure, although there is a
risk of subsequent pulmonary edema if tissue damage has been more severe.

Laborers working in Sulphuric Acid Industries in Pakistan are exposed to above referred health risks, and
hazards. Considerable work is needed to be done, on the need for revised technology to diminish
industrial hazards/emissions in manufacturing sulphuric acid, and damage procured to the safety and
health of laborers working within the said industries.

Environmental Agency and Labour Welfare Organizations could best address the said issue. Finally,
improvement is required in techniques for preventing pollution spread by the sulphuric acid industries.
Adequate legislation is required on the, said issue of health and safety of laborers working in sulphuric
acid manufacturing industries.

Literature Review:

With the industrial revolution, public awareness came that the environment could not absorb unlimited
amounts of waste. By the end of the 19th Century many industrial areas were experiencing severe air
pollution caused by the burning of coal to run mills and machinery. The quantities of fly ash, smoke,
carbon and sulpur gases, and other wastes had become too great for local environments.

Similarly when environment cannot absorb so much of pollution, likewise, laborers are also a part of the
environment, laborers are directly envisaged with the sulphuric acid manufacturing processes wherein,
SO and NOgases (Green House Gases) are at full peak and efficient.

Let us review health and safety laws at workplace in Pakistan.

There is no independent legislation on occupational safety and health issues in Pakistan. The main law,
which relates to such kind of issues, is the Chapter 3 of Factories Act, 1934. All the provinces, under this
act, have devised Factories Rules. The Hazardous Occupations Rules, 1963 under the authority of
Factories Act is another relevant legislation.

These rules not only specify some hazardous occupations but also authorize the Chief Inspector of
Factories to declare any other process as hazardous

The related laws are:

 Dock Laborers Act, 1934

 Mines Act, 1923

 Workmen Compensation Act, 1923

 Provincial Employees Social Security Ordinance, 1965

 West Pakistan Shops and Establishments Ordinance, 1969

 Boilers and Pressure Vessels Ordinance, 2002

The said literature review held shall be taken from the primary sources of law .i.e. law journals, being
published in Monthly Law Digests, Civil Law Cases, Supreme Court Monthly Review, and Corporate Law
Decisions, Pakistan Law Digest, last but not the least Pakistan Labour Cases etc, and secondary sources
of law encyclopedias, writings of jurists, and famous lawyers within Pakistan, articles and papers
published by authors at Labour Law.

Around the world there are legislations, which protect the rights of laborers who work under such
severe conditions. In September 1978 US Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease
Control National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, had issued guidelines for U.S. Department
of Labor (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). The document contains a source of
information for employers, employee, physicians, industrial hygienists, and other occupational health
professionals who may have a need for such information.1

This research shall examine the Labor health and safety legislations; pertaining to laborers working in
Sulphuric Acid Industues in Pakistan, and shall also make an endeavor to locate any legislation with
regard to the health safety pertaining to such laborers who are working under such health hazards;
manufacturing of sulphuric acid.

Goal and Objectives

The said research shall examine the relevant data, laws with the primary motives to ascertain the health
issues of Pakistani Laborers working in sulphuric acid industries. And also locate International Labour
Laws on the said issue.
  To find out the comparative advantages of the environmental policy and labour laws in Pakistan
for welfare of laborers.

 To evaluate the National Interest in within the said issue.

 To check is there any mutatis mutandis provision (Safeguards against Occupational Diseases)
contained in ILO; International Labour Conventions.

 To consider how to redress the problem of poor enforcement of labor laws in Pakistan
pertaining to the occupational diseases of laborers in sulphuric acid industry.

 To make suggestions for strengthening the labor policies and laws and how to make such laws
strident.

Rationale of the Study

The research which is going to be conducted in the period of 8 months with utilizing all available
facilities is good enough and has a strong idea to know more about occupational health and safety laws
in Pakistan, which would be appreciated.

Significance of Study

This research would benefit the society and Labor Welfare Organizations as it enlightens the law making
authorities, and legislature as to the proximity of laborers working in hazardous conditions prevailing in
sulphuric acid industries; and to develop laws thereto.

Limitations of the Study

In the above said proposal for study explanation shall be given to a word occupational diseases as well
as phenomenon relevant to the occupational diseases to workers/laborers working within the sulphuric
acid industry.

In the said study endeavor shall be made to see how many Pakistan Labor laws talk about the health and
safety of the laborers working in Sulphuric Acid Industries. what was done, or caused to be done to take
mitigation measures for the occupational diseases causing factors among the laborers. Likewise what
kind of attenuating factors are being taken up in the modern world?
The knowledge of equipments shall be gathered used for taking mitigation/attenuating measures for the
occupational diseases, and legislation if there is any? Likewise modern equipments/gadgets for
attenuating occupational diseases in sulphuric acid industries in Pakistan.

Methodology

This study uses method of general strategies to undertake the study of the Health and Safety Labour
Laws providing safeguards towards occupational diseases in sluphiric acid industries within Pakistan.

References/Bibliography

1. cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0577.pdf last visited 07-03-2015

2. PLD 1994 SC 693

3. Occupational Health Guideline for Sulfuric Acid, September 1978.

4. M.A. Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Medicine, 6:305-313, 1952.

5. http://www.paycheck.pk/main/labour-laws/health-safety-at work/occupational-safety-and-
health/occupational-safety-and-health-laws-in-pakistan. Last Visited on 09-05-2015

Sadequain Gardner, Advocate High Court, M.A Political Science, Post Graduate Diploma Holder in
Environmental Laws, Post Graduate Diploma in Labour Laws (PU) .