The government has formulated four Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to improve labour inspections and thus ensuring decent working conditions in all workplaces
The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), under the labour ministry, on Wednesday officially approved the new SOPs on registration and licensing of the organisations, approval of factory layout plan, labour complaints and investigation of occupational accidents, according to a statement.
Calling on labour inspectors and relevant stakeholders to implement these instruments, DIFE inspector General Shib Nath Roy said, “The new SOPs are aligned with the implementation strategy of DIFE and will simplify and enhance the services provided by the department. These tools will help DIFE deliver its services to the doorsteps of employers and workers alike.”
With the technical assistance of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and financial assistance from Canada, Netherlands and United Kingdom, the four SOPs were drafted by a team of experts, the statement added.
The SOP on ‘Labour Complaints and Investigation’ discussed the types of grievance and labour-related complaints, complaint submission and investigation procedures and post-investigation activities.
The SOP on ‘Approval of Factory Layout Plan’ explained the application and approval processes for factory layout plans and the approval procedures for any modification or expansion in the factory layout plan.
The process of registration and licensing of organisations has been explained in the light of labour laws and regulations in the SOP on ‘Registration and Licensing of Organizations’.
The SOP on ‘Investigation of Occupational Accidents’ includes methods and strategies for investigating workplace accidents, accident diagnosis and follow-up steps, accident investigation checklist, and samples of accident investigation reports, it added.
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