Indo-German Dialogue on occupational health and safety in the construction sector

India Photo: Dirk Ostermeier © GIZ

An Indo-German Dialogue entitled “Share experiences, develop solutions – Occupational Health and Safety in the Indian Construction Sector” is being held on 25 September 2014 at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The one-day workshop brings together Indian experience and knowledge and long-standing German expertise on Occupational health and safety (OHS) in the construction industry. It is organised by the Indo-German Social Security Programme of Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ – Germany’s enterprise for international cooperation).

India’s construction sector is one of the largest contributors to its GDP, and together with ancillary industries such as cement, steel, brick-making and others, is the second largest employer after agriculture. However the sector is characterized by widely variant enterprise structures, skills and safety standards. Thousands of workers die each year from work-related injuries or illness. OHS is therefore an issue that needs urgent attention.

Governments at both the central and state levels have announced policy measures to improve working conditions on construction sites. However, due to paucity of resources and lack of qualified OHS personnel, legal provisions are not always implemented on the ground. Therefore there is urgent need for improvement of working conditions through better self-regulation of the construction industry.

The Indo-German Dialogue is a platform where the construction industry comes together with institutions and businesses working on occupational health and safety in the sector to find workable solutions. The issues covered will include risk management for accidents, the specific requirements of safety products for Indian conditions, awareness-raising activities for employers and workers, and the process of obtaining international OHS certification. A diverse set of stakeholders such as construction companies, providers of safety solutions, business organisations, employee associations, government representatives, research institutes, civil society and international organisations will share concrete solutions and best practices on OHS in the construction sector. At the end of the day, it is hoped that participants from India and Germany will be able to identify concrete areas for future collaboration.

Contacts for more information:

Helmut Hauschild,
Programme Director, Indo-German Social Security Programme (IGSSP)
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
21, Jor Bagh
New Delhi – 110003
INDIA
Tel: +91 11 2460 3832
E-Mail: helmut.hauschild@giz.de