Occupational Health & Safety Policy

An Occupational Health and Safety Policy is the basis for developing, implementing and improving an organisation’s Occupational Health & Safety management systems. A documented Policy statement that gives an overall sense of direction sets the actions to be taken before and while carrying out any work that could be hazardous in nature, if not carried out with care. The policy reflects the formal commitment of the top management towards good Occupational Health and Safety practices and management.

The Company will ensure that a “Occupational Health and Safety Committee” is formed on the Group, with a cross section of workers representing all areas of our operations, is formed and that this Committee will meet every quarter to review its performance, recommend revision to policy required etc. Such Committee meetings minutes will be maintained for records, including names of attendees and matters discussed. 

The following Safe Operating Procedures must be followed to avoid any kind of accidents at the workplace.

To maintain this policy we will ensure that: 

Field Workers:

• Workers undertaking spraying and pruning operations must wear protective clothing provided by the Company with out exceptions.
• Workers are to use foot paths & field roads and avoid steep or dangerous short cuts while walking to & from work spots to avoid any injury.
• Workers are to pay attention to vehicular traffic on the road while crossing roads, especially when there is a lot of mist/rain and during the tourist season.
• While workers are plucking in far away corners of fields and in areas adjoining jungle etc, a group of workers to be deployed to work together to avoid threat from wild animals to an individual.
• Workers are to be careful and vigilant about Hornet nests, Bee hives etc in the bushes and shade trees to avoid stings and bites being suffered by them.
• Workers are to ensure they are aware of their surrounding while working and walking to tea fields to avoid alarming any wild animals or reptiles etc that may be in their paths.
• Workers undertaking harvesting utilizing shears or other mechanical harvesters are to ensure that the proper technique informed to them are only used to avoid any injury due to improper usage of equipment.

Weighment of Green Leaf:

• Workers not to carry more than thirty kilograms of leaf on their heads/shoulders to avoid any spinal injury.
• Workers to utilize proper technique for lifting the Green leaf bag on to their heads/shoulders as instructed.
• Workers to walk only on foot paths and field roads in the fields while carrying leaf to avoid any falls.
• Workers are not to be permitted to walk on slippery short cuts or down steep ravines or on paths covered with moss growth while carrying leaf to avoid any injury due to a fall, especially in the monsoon’s.
• It is to be ensured that no worker is standing close to a parked vehicle either in the spraying field or at the time of leaf weighments.
• Weighments are to be carried out only in designated weighment spots where a proper angle iron structure with hook is available for weighing the leaf bags.
• Weighment on Public road/High Way road sides is not permitted under any circumstances – Please refer to MD’s Inter Office Memo of 17th May 2010 on this subject.

Spraying for Pest and Disease control:

• Prior to commencing daily spraying operations Supervisor/Sprayer mechanic to check the condition of the spraying machine and ensure that there are no loose nuts and bolts or leaks in the discharge pipes.
• All the spraying workers should wear the following protective clothing provided to them by the Company:
  • Face Masks
  • Gloves
  • Goggles
  • Sprayer Coats
• The Sprayer mechanic responsible for running the spraying machine must wear earmuffs to prevent any hearing impairment due to the sound generated by the spraying motor.
• The driver is to park the tractor mounted tanker, in such a way that vehicular movement on that road is not affected to other vehicles (especially on public roads and Highways) while also ensuring that parking brakes have been properly engaged to prevent any chances of injury to workers or the public.
• Avoid spillage of water and chemical from tanker while transporting from one spraying spot to another.
• Check wind direction and do not spray against the wind.
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before workers consume hot tea and after completing spraying.
• The MD’s Inter Office Memo of 17th May 2010 may also be referred to, on procedures to be adopted for parking of Tractor mounted tankers & spraying operations on roadsides.
• All spraying workers and supervisors are to compulsorily have a bath (in the bathrooms being constructed adjoining the divisional chemical stores for this purpose) after completing the days spraying and they must also change clothes prior to returning home.

Weedicide Spraying:

• Prior to commencing daily spraying operations Supervisor/Sprayer mechanic check the condition of the sprayers to ensure that there are no leaks.
• All the spraying workers should wear the following protective clothing provided to them:
  • Face Masks
  • Gloves
  • Goggles
  • Sprayer Coats
• Supervisor to ensure not use drinking water sources for mixing spraying solution and all mixing is done in separate mixing containers provided for this purpose.
• The Supervisor to return the empty chemical containers to the division store everyday to prevent their re-use for any other purpose that may be harmful.
• Workers to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before consuming hot tea and after completing spraying operations.
• All spraying workers and supervisors are to compulsorily have a bath (in the bathrooms being constructed adjoining the divisional chemical stores for this purpose) after completing the days spraying and they must also change clothes prior to returning home.

Operation of Mechanical Pruning Machines:

• Prior to commencing daily pruning operations, mechanic should check the condition of the pruning machine everyday and certify that it is fit for carrying out pruning and does not have any loose bolts nuts etc.
• Check and ensure that there is no leakage of fuel or lubricants.
• Pruning must never be carried out without supervision.
• Employ only those workers who are medically fit and trained in pruning with mechanical pruning machines.
• Every pruner must wear the following protective clothing provided by the Company:
  • Pruning Coats
  • Face mask
  • Goggles
  • Ear muffs
• Pruning workers are not to be permitted to smoke while the pruning machine is in operation or near the pruning machine due to the possibility of a fire due to petrol in fuel tank.
• Pruners are not to keep the pruning machine on the ground while the blade is still in motion.
• Adequate distance between two pruners must be maintained while carrying out pruning.
• Check for any foreign materials such as stones, barbed wire etc in the bush before pruning the bush.
• The pruning supervisor must be provided with a whistle to draw the attention of the Pruners to any danger etc.
• All pruners must be extra careful while pruning on a slope.
• While walking up & down steep sections pruners must shut off the machine to avoid any injury in case of a fall to them selves and to workers around them.
• Pruners must never use his hand to remove the cut branches if stuck between the blade and the blade protector.
• Any repairs to be carried out to machine must only be undertaken by the trained mechanic and such repairs are to be undertaken when the machine is totally shut off.

Factory Workers:

• All moving parts of all machinery must have proper guards.
• All chains and belts to have suitable protection to prevent any injury to workers.
• Workers in the Rolling section must not be allowed to put there hand in the roller for preventing spillage etc while Roller is in operation.
• Factory floor must be dry when manufacture is in progress. In case of wet floor a board with a proper warning sign must be placed so that workers are aware of the danger.
• All mechanic, blacksmith etc must never be allowed to attend to a machine while it is in motion. Once the machine comes to a full stop only then should the mechanic be allowed to inspect it.
• There should be no loose or naked electric wires hanging anywhere in the factory.
• A fire drill should be conducted at least once a month to ensure preparedness of all concerned in case of fire.
• The Hydrant tank must be always full of water & inspected weekly by Factory staff.
• All fire extinguishers must be filled before the expiry date and the next date of expiry must be painted across the extinguishers.
• In addition to wearing factory uniforms, workers working in the dust room in the factory should wear face masks and goggles to avoid inhalation of dust.
• Packing workers should always be wearing the gloves and face masks provided to them.
• The following safety equipment should be provided in the factory for the protection of workers from injuries:
• Industrial boots for stove workers.
• Goggles for welders and blacksmiths.
• Safety helmets for Black smiths.
• Safety belts.
• ½” Nylon rope-10 meters.
• Climbing more than two meter height should be done only using step ladders.
• A Notice in bold letters in a language understood by majority of the workers warning that the roof is of fragile material and is dangerous and that no person should go or work on the roof unless full protective measures have been taken, should be displayed at prominent places.
• While climbing on GCI sheet roof, the individual should be held securely by a long nylon rope from the opposite side and over the roof.

Climbing more than two meter height should be done only using step ladders.

A Notice in bold letters in a language understood by majority of the workers warning that the roof is of fragile material and is dangerous and that no person should go or work on the roof unless full protective measures have been taken, should be displayed at prominent places.

While climbing on GCI sheet roof, the individual should be held securely by a long nylon rope from the opposite side and over the roof.

Selection of Occupational Health & Safety Committee:

The Managing Director will nominate employees from various estates and departments who are engaged in the above operations to this committee. The committee will have representatives from various categories as shown below: