Health Impact of Ship Breaking Industry at Alang: A Comparative Analysis of Alang-Sosiya village and workers based on research done at Alang and Sossiya

1. Health Impact of Ship
Breaking Industry at Alang
A Comparative Analysis of Alang-Sosiya
village and workers
1
Sanket Gaikwad
2012CCSS007

2. Ship Breaking
 Ship breaking is a type of ship disposal
process involving the breaking up of ships for
scrap recycling
 Most ships have a lifespan of few decades
after that there is so much wear that
refitting and repair becomes uneconomical.
 Ship breaking allows materials from the ship,
especially steel, to be reused
 Equipment on board the vessel can also be
reused.
2

3. Ship Breaking Industry
 Port cities of UK and USA were the major areas
where ship breaking use to took place until the
late 20th century.
 This industry is now shifted to the developing
countries where the environmental and labour
protection laws are less stringent.
 Ship breaking yards are present at Gadani in
Pakistan,Alang in India, Chittagong in Bangladesh
and Aliagain Turkey
 China used to be an important player in the
1990s. Now its trying to reposition itself in more
environmentally friendly industries.
3

4. Alang Ship Breaking Industry
 Ship breaking industry provides
◦ Ready employment to unskilled labourers,
◦ High quality steel which helps conserve energy
while reducing the need for more mining of the
ore.
◦ Revenue to governments.
 Earlier most ship breaking activities were
concentrated in the Docks of Mumbai
 To overcome the space constraints an
alternative was searched,Alang in Gujarat
was found appropriate for the beaching of
heavy ships.
4

5.  Alang has the favourable parameters for the
beaching method such as
◦ High tidal range
◦ Firm seabed
◦ Gentle seaward slope
 Hence it was decided to set up a ship breaking
yard on the western coast of Gulf of Cambay
near Alang village.
 The ship breaking yard provides employment
to the migrant workers from Bihar, Odisha,
Uttarpradesh, Jharkhand.
5

6. Background
 Alang Sosiya Ship breaking yard is the largest ship
breaking yard in the world.
 The number of ships that are recycled at Alang have
increased since it started.
 Since it started i.e. from 1982 in 30 years 6318 ships
has been recycled,
◦ on an average of 210 ships per year.
◦ 2 ships every 3 days.
 This shows the potential of the ship breaking industry.
 2011- 2012 is considered to be the busiest year in
which 415 ships were recycled
6

7. Hazardous Substances andWastes
 Asbestos and Dust
 Heavy and toxic metals ( lead, mercury,
cadmium, copper, zinc etc)
 Organomettalic substances (tributyllin)
 Lack of hazard communication ( storage,
labelling. Material safety datasheets)
 PCBs and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
 Welding fumes
 Volatile organic compounds
 Inhalation in confined and enclosed spaces
 Compressed gas
7

8. Physical hazards and mechanical
hazards
 Noise
 Vibration
 Extreme temperature
 Sharp edged and other tools, saws,
grinders and abrasive cutting wheels
 Failure of machinery and equipment
 Lack of safety guards in machines
 Structural failure in the ship
8

9. ERGONOMIC AND
PSYCHOSOCIAL HAZARDS
 Repetitive strain, awkward postures,
repetitive and monotonous work,
excessive workload
 Mental stress, anti social behaviour (
aggressive behaviour, alcohol, violence)
 Long working hours, and temporary
employment
 Poverty, low wages, under age workers
lack of education and social environment
9

10.  The ship breaking occupation id the most dangerous
in the world.
 Ship breakers generally do not have protective gears,
if provided are of inferior quality
 Average annual incidence of fatal accidents in the
ship breaking industry at Alang during the period of
1995-2005 is two per 1000 workers
 Analysis of fatal accidents shows that most frequent
cause of injuries were
◦ Fall from height (21 per cent)
◦ Fire (20 per cent)
◦ Being struck by falling objects (18 per cent)
◦ Gassing ( 11 per cent)
◦ Striking against objects (11 per cent)
◦ Explosions (6 per cent)
10

11. Putting Profits before People:The
Human Costs of Ship-breaking
 The ship breaker emerges more or less as a
replaceable commodity, less human, and the
basic guarantees of life and dignity are not
for him/her.
 This is because, even if one worker is lost,
there are thousands willing to take the place.
 The workers at the yard are unorganised
and generally not visible to law.
 Absence of any trade union limits the
bargaining power of the workers.
11

12. Policy and legal Framework
 The primary international legal hazardous
waste management law is Basel
Convention on the Control ofTans-
boundary Movements of Hazardous
wastes and their Disposal, 1989.
 United Nations Convention on the law of
Sea is also related to ship breaking
 ILO has established standards to protect
workers for occupational safety and
health.
12

13. Contd.
 IMO conventions on merchant vessels and maritime
safety
◦ Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping
ofWastes and Other Matter, 1972
◦ The Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of
Wrecks, 2007
◦ The International Convention on the Control of Harmful
Antifouling Systems on Ships, 2001
◦ the International Convention for the Control and Management
of Ships’ BallastWater and Sediments, 2004.
◦ International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from
Ships, 1973
◦ Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and
Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009.
◦ IMO Guidelines on Ship Recycling, 2003
13

14. Laws and regulatory frame work in
India
 Laws Protecting workers right
◦ The Factories Act
◦ Minimum Wages Act
◦ Payment ofWages Act
◦ Workmen’s Compensation Act
◦ Contract Labour Act
◦ Interstate Migrant Workmen Act
◦ Employee’s State Insurance Act
14

15. Contd.
 Laws for environmental protection
◦ Air ( prevention and control) of Pollution Act
◦ Water ( prevention and control) of Pollution
Act
◦ Environment protection Act
◦ Disaster Management Act
◦ Batteries ( management and Handling) Rules
◦ The Hazardous Waste (Management and
Handling) Rules
◦ Coastal Regulation Zone Notification
15

16. Contd.
◦ Manufacture, Storage and Import of
Hazardous Chemical Rules
◦ Noise Pollution ( Regulation and Control)
Rules
◦ Plastics Manufacture, Sale and usage Rules
◦ Chemical Accidents Emergency Planning,
Preparedness Response Rules
◦ The Environmental impact Assessment
Notification
16

17. Practice of Ship breaking today
 The Ship Recycling Regulation provides
for ex-gratia and other payments in event
of death or accidents.
 workers suffer from severe health
complications long after their stint at
Alang.
 The Regulation is also silent on working
hours, overtime, and improved living
conditions in the yards
17

18. Ground reality
 Fatal accidents due to improper safety
measure is frequent incidences
 No legal action has been taken against the
employers
 Presence of legal frame work do not reduce
the number of fatal accidents in the yard.
 On an average 5 death occurs every year on
the yard.
 This year already 5 death occurred in 3
months.
18

19. Research Questions
 What are the major health impacts of ship-
breaking industry at Alang, on the workers
who are in direct contact with the harmful
working environment?
 What intervention has been made to
address the health impacts of the ship-
breaking industry at Alang?
 What lessons can be drawn from the studies
which will ensure effective implementation
of health policy and regulations to provide a
safe workplace for the workers in the yard?
19

20. Methodology
 A survey of 290 workers and 72 households
was conducted
 Workers were categorized into Skilled, semi
skilled, unskilled.
 A detailed questionnaire was prepared for
the workers
 Similar questionnaire was designed for the
villages near the Ship breaking yard.
 Both the questionnaires were prepared to
◦ understand the health status of the workers
◦ Monthly expenditure and income
20

21. Acts and its implementation status
 Even though legal institutions and framework are
present for protecting workers right, they are not
properly implemented.
 Chapter 3 of Factories act states about guidelines
for
◦ Cleanliness
◦ Disposal of wastes and effluents
◦ Drinking water facility
◦ Latrines and urinals.
 As the workers are not registered, they cannot
claim for increase in wages according to the
Minimum wages Act, hence the employers pays
them wages which are suitable according to them
21

22. Contd.
 No overtime bonus is given even though
almost every worker works for 11 to 12
hours, which is mandatory according to
Factories Act.
 According to ESIC, hospital which is already
been constructed, shall be operated and
maintained by ESIC only if 10000 workers
should have health insurance funded by the
employers and at least 25000 workers
should be registered in the area.
22

23. Contd.
 Inter state Migration Act states that,
migrant workers should be paid equally
for the same amount of work performed
by non migrant workers.
 A suitable place for accommodation with
proper medical facility.
 But this all is not seen in the yard,
workers live in the neighbouring areas
without proper water and electricity
facility.
23

24. Age Classification of workers
18%
41%
37%
4%
age group (percentage)
15-25 26-35
36-50 50+
24

25. Education level of workers
40%
39%
15%
3% 3%
education classification
1st-5th
5th-10th
10th-12th
12th+
No education
25

26. Type of labour
67%
9%
24%
type of labour
skilled unskilled
semikilled
26

27. Income (workers)
3.10
90.69
5.52
0.34
workers' monthly income
below 5000
5001 to 10000
1001 to 15000
15001 +
27

28. Duration of working hours
5%
95%
Duration of work
8 hrs above 8 hrs
28

29. Training received
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
General safety for all use of PPE Fire Fighting Gas cutting Handling of Hazarodous
waste
percentage
training
Training received
yes no
29

30. Safety equipment provided
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Mask Helmet Boiler suit Safety shoes Gloves Any other
percentage
safety eqipments
Safety equipment provided
yes no
30

31. Distribution of average income
(workers)
Health Rent Transport Water Toilet Electricity
Electronic
items
Children’s
education
Food Others
workers 8.07 4.00 6.04 4.42 0.09 2.20 5.24 9.81 38.01 8.53
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
percentage Distribution of average income spent (percentage),
workers
31

32. Distribution of average income
(villagers)
Health Rent Transport Water Toilet Electricity
Electronic
items
Children’s
education
Food Others
villagers 9.89 0.48 16.05 1.07 0.00 4.64 6.60 16.13 71.06 67.83
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
percentage distribution of average income spent (percentage) , villagers
32

33. Comparison of health expenses
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
0 to5 5 to 10 10 to20 20 to 30 30 to 40 40+
percentage
percentage group
Comparison of health expenses
percentage of income spent on
health(villagers')
percentage of income spent on
health (workers')
33

34. Expenses on rent
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 to5 5 to 10 10 to20 20 to 30 30 to 40 40+
percentage
percentage of income
Percentage of income spent on rent
percentage of income spent on
rent (workers)
percentage of income spent on
rent (villagers)
34

35. Expenses on electricity
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 to5 5 to 10 10 to20 20 to 30 30 to 40 40+
percentage
percentage of income
Percentage of income spent on electricity
percentage of income spent on electricity
(workers)
percentage of income spent on electricity
(villagers)
35

36. Expenses on children’s education
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 to5 5 to 10 10 to20 20 to 30 30 to 40 40+
percentage
percentage of income
Percentage of income spent on children's education
percentage of income spent
on children's education
(workers)
percentage of income spent
on children's education
(villagers)
36

37. Expenses on food
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
0 to5 5 to 10 10 to20 20 to 30 30 to 40 40+
percentage
percentage of income
Percentage of income spent on food
percentage of income spent
on food (workers)
percentage of income spent
on food (villagers)
37

38. Expenses on other items
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
0 to5 5 to 10 10 to20 20 to 30 30 to 40 40+
percentage
percentage of income
Percentage of income spent on others
percentage of income spent on
others (workers)
percentage of income spent on
others (villagers)
38

39. Red Cross Hospital Data
Year OPD Surgical Orthopaedic
Dressi
ngs
Injection Sutures I & d
Foreign
body
removal
Nail
evulsion
s
Plaster
slab
Splint
Elasto-
crepe
Rest
2013 2149 536 649 39 22 27 10 23 19 36 0
2012 2245 814 757 33 22 24 12 16 14 28 0
2011 2041 1011 848 46 39 34 17 19 19 35 0
2010 2305 864 544 37 21 16 9 15 9 27 0
2009 2601 894 554 37 10 15 6 14 10 24 3
2008 2265 865 747 60 16 8 11 12 14 24 0
39

40. Red Cross Hospital Data
Year Special test investigation
Specialities
consultations
surgeon
X-ray
Pathology
lab
ECG Orthopaedic Physician Skin
2013 113 35 0 91 36 65
2012 73 51 0 93 53 150
2011 63 68 1 90 47 77
2010 50 43 0 76 39 68
2009 62 14 0 97 59 87
2008 45 10 0 82 48 83
40

41. Conclusion
 Long working hours put lot of stress on the workers
making them susceptible to long term illness.
 Occupational hazards is another problem which they
have to deal with.
◦ Fatal accidents at the workplace
◦ Injuries due to work is common among workers
 Mainly the health impacts are due to improper
 Further due to less health facilities available at the
Alang, workers might get diseases which might develop
after some years.
41

42. Contd.
 Two hospitals are present at Alang,
◦ Red Cross Hospital
◦ Alang Private hospital
 Even though hospital facility is present, it
is insufficient to maintain proper health
status of the workers.
 Another hospital which has been
constructed is under dispute, for control
of operating and maintenance of the
hospital.
42

43. Contd.
 It can be observed that from villagers
point of view the Ship Breaking Industry is
beneficial as it provides employment, and
resale business.
 While from workers point of view the
employment issue is prioritized and the
health aspects of workers is often
neglected, which further reduces workers’
access to health facility
43

44. Contd.
 For effective implementation of the Acts and
legal framework, most important is that all
the workers should be registered under the
employers where they are working.
 Secondly employers should be penalise for
ineffective implementation of the laws
 Employers are liable for payments and
maintenance of safe working environment,
they should be penalise for any delay in
payments or for not providing a safe working
space.
44

45. Contd.
 Supreme Court guidelines for handling of
toxic wastes that can cause occupational
diseases such as asbestosis and itching
should be strictly followed.
 Problem of potable water and proper place
for accommodation can be solved by
collective efforts of stake holders.
 The motto of ILO to provide decent work
to all can be realized only when the
grievance of the workers are identified and
promptly addressed.
45