Opportunities for India to collaborate for occupational Health and Safety: A review

Abstract

The safe and healthy work environment is a fundamental human right in India. 63.6% are estimated to be in working group, where more than 90% work in the informal economy and less than 10% are in formal economy. Workers are exposed to various risk which are not assessed due to lack of skilled human resource. Collaboration can be undertaken through joint/multilateral programs, research studies particularly in frontier areas, institutionalized exchange of information through conferences, study groups, joint forums, workshops, publications, transfer of technologies, exchange of scientists, publications and trainings which enhances instrumentation for diseases causing agents for environmental and biological sampling. Priority Areas for International Collaboration are usages of Technology; epidemiological research; legal provisions; program Management; training programs of Indian scientists; quality assurance, accreditation; and model programs/pilot projects which may be undertaken with the support from ILO / WHO for unorganized sector and should involve NGOs. India can certainly improve the health of its workers by going for the international collaborations in occupational epidemiology, technology transfer, exchange of scientists, creating national database etc.