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Friday, 10 April 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Lafarge Mahaweli Head of Health and Safety Athula Karunanayake addressing the gathering
Q&A session of the Health and Safety Conference
Lafarge Mahaweli Cement together with Ministry of Housing and Samurdhi, National Construction Association of Sri Lanka (NCASL), Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA), and the Advanced Construction Training Academy (ACTA) hosted a health and safety conference to highlight the issues, challenges and responsibilities on health and safety in the modern construction industry.
The conference attended by 230 contractors from the western province was held at the NCASL Auditorium in Battaramulla, under the patronage of C.D.W. Alahakoon, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Samurdhi who also graced the occasion as Chief Guest. She also acted as a panellist at the panel discussion that took place during the latter part of the conference.
Speaking at the event, Lafarge Mahaweli Project Manager Charlotte Boutboul said that as a multinational organisation, one of Lafarge’s primary concerns worldwide is the health and safety of their employees and stakeholders. “Here in Sri Lanka and across the world, our priority is the safety of our employees and contractors. We ensure that all the safety equipment is in place for them; from secure equipment to garments that guarantee their safety while operating heavy machinery.”
Lafarge Mahaweli Cement Head of Health and Safety Athula Karunanayake, who addressed the conference spoke in detail about the safety measures practiced by Lafarge said that the company’s goal in conducting a series of workshops island wide was to gather all stakeholders of the construction industry and to bring them to a forum where safety issues and challenges could be discussed and addressed.
A key issue discussed at the national conference were the standards of safety equipment used to protect workmen and women in the construction industry and if proper precautions were taken to protect them as per the laws of the country. The Asst. Commissioner of Labour (Industrial Safety) W.L.S. Wijesundara speaking at the conference addressed the subject saying that in June 2014, the cabinet had given the nod to a national policy that addressed seven existing issues within the construction industry. She said that the policy included a strategic plan on the steps to be taken to develop and increase the levels of safety amongst industrial workers. A distinguished group including Ministry of Housing and Samurdhi Additional Secretary C.D.W. Alahakoon, Construction Industry Development Authority Chairman C.H.D. Thisera, NCASL, ACTA and UCCT Chairman Deshamanya S.P. Liyanarachchi, Lafarge Mahaweli Cement Head of Health and Safety Athula Karunanayake, Occupational Physician/HR Consultant Dr. Prabat Karunanayake, National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety Director General Dr. Champika Amarasinghe and Lafarge Mahaweli Head of Terminal Operations Sasanka Nanayakkara participated in the panel discussion which addressed the current challenges faced by the industry.
The panel discussed certain loopholes in the health and safety regulations for construction workers that came under clause 84 of the Industrial Act. Champika Amarasinghe said that last year, several new regulations to this act had been proposed and it is expected they would be passed during the Government’s 100 day program. She added that the Department of the Legal Draftsman under the Ministry of Justice has already looked into the proposals, which are expected to be included in the act. Lafarge in the meantime will work diligently towards building awareness on their plans as well as the nation’s agenda for health and safety for the construction industry through their workshops.
