Centre appoints SN Subrahmanyan to vacant chair of NSC
Ravi S Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 7
Union Labour Ministry has signalled its intent of speedy operationalisation of the new Occupational Safety, Health and Wyorking Conditions Code, 2020, (OSH) by filling up the post of Chairman of its National Safety Council (NSC).
It has appointed SN Subrahmanyan as head of the council for a period of three years.
The Labour Ministry said that Subrahmanian, who is the CEO and Managing Director of Larsen & Toubro, is an eminent engineer who has spearheaded the infrastructure business of the firm for several years making it the country’s largest construction organization and 14th in the world.
L&T is also one of the largest engineering companies in the country with interest in heavy engineering, defence, shipbuilding, etc.
“His experience is likely to guide the NSC which has a major role to play to ensure safety in workplaces under the new OSH,” the Ministry said.
The NSC will assist the Director-General, Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes ( DGFASLI) in re-writing the regulations governing the OSH.
The regulations have not been revised for more than 50 years. The government aims to tweak them to keep them abreast with evolved practices in the face of the expansion of the economy, and the labour market.
The NSC will also be involved in framing the scheme for third party audit and certification under the OSH Code.
It is already working on the safety rating of establishments based on their OSH readiness and performance which can be extended through the country and linked to the inspection system.
OSH is among the four Labour Codes passed by the Parliament as part of labour law reforms. They are being opposed by the majority of the Central Trade Unions.
