VADODARA, July 28: While security has been pivotal to all human actions, ignorance or sheer recklessness has caused much injury to physical safety of both individuals and groups. Making `Safety First' its motto and carrying forward the message to the state's masses for the past 21 years is the Gujarat Safety Council (GSC).Says P T Shah of the GSC, ``Twenty years ago, the only safety oriented body in the country was Mumbai-based National Safety Council. But little thought was being given to the industrially developing states of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab. This was what set off the formation of the GSC.''Set up in 1977, the organisation is being run on a tripartite basis involving employers, employees and the state government represented by the chief inspector of factories. GSC essentially focuses on creating awareness among the masses through various training programmes pertaining to industrial, road and domestic safety. It also publishes a bi-monthly magazine called Suraksha.``We thought of targeting the industries because an organised system was existing there. However, as we were aiming to reach out to the workers, we adopted the vernacular medium of instruction,'' says Shah, adding that each programme schedule and session had been conducted in Gujarati, simplifying the explanation with illustrations from the workers' experiences. The GSC's industrial safety programmes have been divided into three modules, namely, Accident Prevention Techniques, Workers' Orientation and Fire Prevention and Protection.An important contribution of the council to industrial safety management is their effort to mould personal protective equipment to suit the local requirements. ``Safety gear like helmets, goggles and shoes designed by a German or Japanese firm may not take into consideration the physical structure of the Indian worker or the temperature conditions in the unit he works. Hence, we assist factories in improving their safety gear and rendering it usable for their workers,'' explains Shah.Shah feels that the bottomline of all training programmes in industrial safety should be that the workers' security is quintessial to maintaining the productivity level of the company. ``The lesser the accidents, the better the performance of the workers and consequently of the industry,'' says Shah.The GSC has reached out to most industrial sectors of the State and also instituted safety awards for various types of industries including small scale units, engineering works, textiles, hazardous industries, among others. The Council also hosts annual safety conferences in the State presided by either the state chief minister or the labour minister.While GSC has also initiated a road safety programme for truck drivers, Shah is unhappy with the poor response. ``It is the employers who are to blame. Though the government has accepted our demand that drivers of vehicles carrying hazardous chemicals and gases have an additional driving qualification, we have few takers for our programme on the same. The saddest thing is that employers come to us with `offers' asking us to give their driver a certificate in exchange of some money,'' informs Shah.The GSC's home safety programme targets the housing colonies including slums with the co-operation of organisations such as the Lions Club and the Jaycette Club. Housewives are involved in domestic safety programmes. The GSC has also been offering a P G Diploma in Industrial Safety course, recognised by the Director of Technical Education.
