GENERAL REVIEW

 

 

1.1.      Background

 

This Annual Report covers  details about  the  enforcement and  administration of   the Dock  Workers (Safety,  Health and  Welfare) Act, 1986 and the Regulations,  1990  for the  period  from April, 2004 to March, 2005 (2004-05) in  the  11 major  Ports of India, namely, Mumbai, Kandla, Mormugao, Chennai, Tuticorin, New Mangalore, Cochin, Kolkata,  Paradip, Visakhapatnam and JN Port.  The  administration  of  the Dock  Workers  (Safety,  Health  and Welfare)  Act,  1986  and the  Regulations  framed  there under  is carried out by the Directorate General Factory Advice Service  and Labour Institutes, Mumbai (DGFASLI) through the Inspectorates Dock  Safety (IDS) functioning in the 11 major Ports.  The Inspectorates at the Ports of Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai function under the charge of one Deputy Director (Safety) each and the Inspectorates at other Ports under the charge of an Assistant Director (Safety) except at the port of Visakhapatnam where it is under the charge of an Addl. Assistant Director (Safety). 

 

1.2.      The Report -- An Overview                            

 

The Annual Report on the Working of the Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Regulations, 1990 is regularly prepared on the financial year basis since 1995-96 by the DGFASLI, Mumbai.  The statistics at a glance are given in Table I.                 

 

1.2.1.     Trend of Accidents                           

 

According to Regulation 91 of the Dock Workers (Safety, Health and  Welfare)  Regulations, 1990, a reportable accident is  one  which  either  causes loss of life to a worker or disables him from work  for  more  than 48 hours. A notice to  the  Dock  Safety  Inspector  is  required to be sent in all cases when a  worker  is  disabled from work for the rest of the day or shift in which  the  accident occurred. 

 

The Chief Inspector of Dock Safety and the Inspectors have initiated a number of steps and are continuing their efforts to bring the accidents further down.  Investigations of accidents, however, have revealed the immense diversity of the circumstances under which workers are injured.  Suitable action is required to be taken by all concerned to foresee the hazardous situations   and take suitable measures to   avoid accidents.   It is hardly necessary to stress that there  is  need   for  better planning of systems of work, training of dock  workers  and  supervisors and safety propaganda, which would go a long  way  in  controlling  the trend of accidents as well  as  in  achieving  higher productivity.

 

The year 2004-05 registered a slight increase in the total number of accidents from 210 to 214, while the fatal accidents  considerably  decreased from 29 to 23. No fatal accidents were reported in the Ports  of Mormugao , JNPT and  Cochin.

 

 

 

 

 

1.2.2. Trend of Accidents, Frequency Rate of Accidents, etc. on Board the Ships                            

 

The number of accidents on board the ships increased from  97 to 103. The Port of Mumbai recorded the highest number of 51 accidents on board the ships followed by the Port of Kolkata  with 24 accidents. The Frequency Rate of Accidents per Million Man-hours worked on board the ship has decreased  from  7.01  in the previous year  to  6.89  during the year under report..                                                        

 

1.2.3.     Trend of Accidents, Frequency Rate of Accidents,  etc. on Shore                           

 

The number of accidents on shore decreased to 111 from 113 in the previous year, while the volume of cargo handled increased to 168.39  million Tonnes  from 129.53  million  MT. The  Port  of Mumbai  recorded  the  highest number of 34 accidents  on  shore  followed  by the Port of Mormugao with 12 accidents.  The Frequency Rate of Accidents on shore decreased to 5.5  from  11.67 in the previous year..               .

 

1.2.4.     Trend of Dangerous Occurrences

                            

27 cases of Dangerous Occurrences were reported as against 20 in the previous year. Out of the 27 dangerous occurrences, 13 where at Mumbai, 4 at Kandla , 3 at Chennai,   2 at New Mangalore,  and one each at the ports of  JNPT,  Goa, Kolkata, Cochin and Tuticorin.  The details of the Dangerous Occurrences are given in Table-VI.

 

1.2.5.     Inspections

 

6358  inspections were carried out which included inspections of ships, docks, loose gears and mobile cranes.  A total number of 21245 ships and oil tankers were called at the 11 major Ports.  A total number of 1848 ships were inspected which amounts to 8.69 % of the total number of ships called in which 874 contraventions were observed.  The  highest of 394 contraventions of Regulation 47 (test and periodical examination  of loose gear) were observed   followed  by  196 contraventions  of  Regulation  51 (register  of  periodical test and  examination  and  certificates   thereof) etc. In addition to the ship inspections mentioned above, 874 dock inspections, 1696 gear  inspections,  89 mobile crane inspections and  92 Isolated Storages/ Pipeline inspections were carried out. A total of 1759 visits were made in connection  with  the investigation  of  accidents and  dangerous occurrences,  attending  to complaints, administration of statutes,  attending  to  courts  and other miscellaneous visits.  (Refer Table-VII).

                      

1.2.6.     Prosecutions

 

During the year under report, 2 prosecution cases, 1 each at Kandla and Visakhapatnam   were launched.   Out of the 26 cases pending from previous year, 2 cases one each at  Chennai and Tuticorin were decided and fines were imposed. At the end of the year 26 prosecution cases were pending : 7 at Kandla, 5 at Mumbai,  4 each at Chennai and Kolkata, 3 at Visakhapatnam,  and 1 each at  Paradip, New Mangalore and Tuticorin . The details of Prosecutions launched/pending and the penalty imposed are given in Table-VIII.  

 

1.2.7.     Notifiable Diseases 

 

Regulation  92  of the Dock Workers (Safety, Health  and  Welfare) Regulations, 1990 stipulates that when a dock worker contracts any  of  the  diseases specified in Schedule IV of the  Regulations,  a notice  in  Form  XIV  is required to be  sent  forthwith  to  the  Inspector. In  addition to the above, the Regulation stipulates that  if  any medical  practitioner  attending  on a dock worker who  is  or  is  believed  by the medical practitioner suffering from any  disease  specified  in  the  Schedule IV, the  medical  practitioner  shall  without  delay  send  a notification to  the  Directorate  General  Factory  Advice  Service  and Labour  Institutes stating  the  name  and  postal  address  of  the  patient and the  disease  which  in  the  opinion  of  the medical practitioner, the  patient  is  suffering  from,  and  the name and other particulars of the dock or  of  the  place in which the patient is or was last employed. 

 

No case of notifiable disease was reported during the period.

 

1.2.8.  Medical Examination of Dock Workers

 

Regulation  107 of the Dock Workers (Safety, Health  and  Welfare)  Regulations, 1990 requires medical examination of Dock Workers who are  employed for the first time; or those being selected  or  trained  for  the operation of lifting appliances and  transport  equipment  and  periodically  at such interval as may  be  considered  by  the  Chief  Inspector  of  Dock Safety.  Accordingly, medical examination and periodicity has been stipulated   in the Order No.45/6/95-DS, dated 27.11.95 for various categories of dock workers.

 

 The details of medical examination of dock workers carried out during the year are given Table X.

 

1.2.9.     Training Activities

                          

 Inspectorates of Dock Safety in major ports conducted  74  training programmes  on  various aspects of safety in dock work for  the  benefit  of 2590  participants of  middle  management  personnel,  technicians, supervisors, crane operators and winch operators  and other dock workers from various organisations such as Port Trusts,  Dock Labour  Boards  and  Stevedoring companies  etc. 

 

    

1.2.10 Advisory Committee    

 

The 7th  Meeting of the Advisory Committee was held at Mumbai  on 27-28 October, 2004 and was attended by the Members representing the Government, Employees and the Employers.  The Meeting was inaugurated by the Director General and Chairman of the Advisory Committee, wherein Sri A.K.Bal, Dy.Chairman, Mumbai Port Trust  as the Chief Guest had  delivered his message.   During the meeting important issues concerning  dust hazard in the dock areas, monitoring and  control measures ,  medical examination of dock workers, appointment of Welfare Officers, supply and use of personal protective equipment, rising trend of fatalities due to transportation,  training of various categories of dock workers, issuance of safety performance reports to the employer of dock workers etc.  were discussed and decisions taken.  

 

 

1.2.11.            Safety Committee Meetings

                           

Regulation  114 of the Dock Workers (Safety, Health  and  Welfare) Regulations, 1990  provides  for  the  constitution  of   Safety  Committees at every Port which should be headed by an officer  not  below  the  rank  of  the Dy. Chairman of  the  Port.   Accordingly, during the year under report 40 meetings of the Safety Committee were held in all the major Ports as against 44   during the previous year.  

 

1.2.12.    Dock Safety Week Celebrations

 

Dock Safety Week celebrations were held at the port of Kolkata, Visakhapatnam  Chennai,,  New Mangalore and  Tuticorin..  Several safety and health promotional activities were carried out to generate safety consciousness among the dock workers.   

             

 

 

T A B L E – I

 

STATISTICS AT A GLANCE 2004 - 2005

 

                   TITLE

2003-04

2004-05

 

Total No. of Fatal Accidents

29

23

 

Total No. Non-Fatal Accidents

181

191

 

Total No. of Accidents

210

214

 

Total No. of D.O.s

20

27

 

Total No. of Accidents on – board the ship

97

103

 

Total No. of Accidents on – shore

113

111

 

Frequency Rate of Accidents on – board the ship

7.01

6.89

 

Frequency Rate of Accidents on – shore

11.67

5.5

 

Daily Average Employment on – board the ship

6462

6459

 

Daily Average Employment on – shore

7487

6536

 

Total Volume of Cargo Handled in Million Tonnes on – board the ship

124.99

158.78

 

Total Volume of Cargo Handled in Million Tonnes on – shore

129.54

168.39

 

No. of Prosecutions pending from previous years

26

26

 

No. of Prosecutions Launched

7

2

 

No. of Prosecutions Decided

7

2

 

No. of Prosecutions pending at the end of the year

24

26

 

No. of Training Programmes

88

74

 

No. of Participants of Training Programmes

1854

2590

 

No. of Ships Called Including Oil Tankers

20963

21245

 

No. of Ships Inspected

1616

1848

 

No. of Ships Inspected per Thousand Ships called

77.08

86.98

 

No. of Contraventions Observed

574

874

 

No. of Dock Safety Committee Meetings

44

40

 

No. of Safety Weeks Held

5

5

 

No. of Seminars/Workshops Held

3

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

T A B L E – I I

 

 

 

NUMBER OF CONTRAVENTIONS  (2004-2005)

 

 

 

Regulation  No

Mum

JNP

Kan

Goa

Kol

Par

Vsp

Che

Coc

N. Man

Tuti

Total

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

2

-

-

-

-

2

9

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

2

-

2

15

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

 

1

16

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

1

 

2

24

-

8

5

-

04

-

4

13

3

12

6

55

26

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

-

1

27

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

-

1

28

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

1

29

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

-

-

-

 

-

30

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

32

-

-

2

-

-

-

1

2

-

-

-

5

33

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

35

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

1

39

-

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

40

-

-

6

-

-

-

-

3

3

-

-

12

41

10

10

4

2

4

9

3

17

4

2

2

67

43

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

--

-

1

2

46

-

-

2

-

-

-

-

1

--

-

-

3

47

82

26

12

22

50

84

17

62

11

24

4

394

48

2

-

2

-

4

1

2

15

1

-

2

29

51

18

7

3

3

6

80

-

29

26

24

-

196

52

 

-

14

4

8

43

1

1

-

2

-

73

53

-

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

54

-

-

-

 

6

3

-

-

-

-

3

12

57

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

3

-

3

63

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

1

65

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

3

-

3

73

-

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

2

91

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

1

117

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

2

-

3

Total Contraventions

112

51

53

31

82

220

30

147

50

80

18

874

No. of Ships Inspected

227

103

143

110

430

167

123

183

59

196

133

1874

Contraventions per hundred ships inspected

49.34

49.51

37.06

28.18

19.07

131.74

24.39

80.32

85

40.82

13.53

46.64

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

T A B L E – I I I

 

 REPORTABLE ACCIDENTS IN THE PORTS-

ON BOARD(OB)   & ON SHORE(OS)

(2002-2003 TO 2004-2005)

 

 

Name of the Port

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

 

OB

OS

Total

OB

OS

Total

OB

OS

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MUMBAI

21

32

53(3)

27

27

54(3)

51

34(2)

85(2)

JN PORT

2

12

14(1)

3

15

18(5)

0

6

6

KANDLA

1(1)

9(3)

10(4)

1(1)

3(2)

4(3)

2(2)

6(1)

8 (3)

MORMUGOA

1

17

18

01

15

16(2)

1

12

13

KOLKATTA

31(2)   

7(1)

38(3)

29(2)

07(1)

36(3)

24

10(2)

34(2)

PARADIP

0

3(2)

3(2)

2

10(3)

12(3)

0

6(1)

6(1)

VISAKHAPATNAM

4

2

6(2)

9

3

12(4)

4

3

7

CHENNAI

2

9

11(4)

2

10

12(3)

2

11(8)

13(8)

COCHIN

9

9

18

8

9

17

5

10

15

NEW NAMGALORE

4

5

9

07

04

11(1)

9

5(3)

14(3)

TUTICORIN

8

12

20(5)

8

10

18(2)

5

8(4)

13(4)

TOTAL

83

117

200

(24)

97

113

210

(29)

103

(2)

111

(21)

214

(23)

 

Note :  Figures in brackets show fatal accidents which are included in the total.

 

OS -  On Shore

OB - On Board The Ship

 

 

 

 

 

 

T A B L E  -  I V

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLASSIFICATION OF REPORTABLE ACCIDENTS – ACCORDING TO AGENCY (2004-05)

 

 

Agency

Mumbai

J.N. Port

Kandla

Mormugao

Kolkata

Paradip

Visakhapatnam

Chennai

Cochin

New Mangalore

Tuti-corin

Total

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

 

A. Lifting Appliances

-----

 

----

1

-----

1(1)

------

1 (1)

-----

-----

------

3(2)

 

B. Loose Gear and Ropes

16

 

----

----

10

1

-----

-----

1

4

------

32

 

C. Unitised and Break Bulk Cargo

35

6

1

1

20(1)

----

5

3 (2)

11

6

11(3)

99(6)

 

D. Bulk Cargo

1

 

1(1)

----

------

1

-------

1

3

-------

--------

7(1)

 

E. Electrical Equipment

----

 

----

3

------

-----

-------

-

 

-------

-------

3

 

F. Tools and Implements

2

 

----

1

1

----

-------

-

----

------

-------

4

 

G.  Means of Access

6

 

----

3

1

-----

1

1

-

------

1

13

 

H. Means of  Transportation

13(1)

 

4(1)

----

2(1)

3

-

6 (5)

-

3(3)

1(1)

32(12)

 

I.  Other Agencies

12 (1)

 

2(1)

4

-

-----

1

1

-

1

-

21(2)

 

   TOTAL

85 (2)

6

8(3)

13

34 (2)

6 (1)

7

13 (8)

15

14(3)

13 (4)

214  (23)

 

 

 

NOTE: Figures in Brackets show fatal accidents which are included in the Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

T A B L E - V

 

CLASSIFICATION OF REPORTABLE ACCIDENTS – ACCORDING TO THE TYPE (2004-05)

 

Type

Mumbai

J.N. Port

Kandla

Mormu

gao

Kolkata

Paradip

Visakha-patnam

Chennai