CHAPTER 6: Manual Scavenging and Occupational Health & Safety

Manual Scavenging and Occupational Health & Safety

Basic Concepts of Plumbing

Chapter Objective:

• The chapter discusses the practice of Manual scavenging, the recently passed parliamentary act against manual scavenging.

• The chapter also discusses about occupational health and safety issues with reference to plumbing.

Chapter Duration: 30 minutes*

SECTION 1: Manual scavenging

Manual scavenging refers to the removal of human waste/excreta (night soil) from unsanitary, “dry” toilets, i.e., toilets without the modern flush system .Manual scavenging involves the removal of human excreta using brooms and tin plates. The excreta are piled into baskets which scavengers carry on their heads to locations sometimes several kilometers from the latrines.

SECTION 2: The bill

As manual scavenging involves issues like dignity and health hazards, GoI had enacted the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993. It served as a primary instrument to eradicate the practice of manual scavenging.

The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Bill, 2012, was passed by the Parliament on 07.09.2013. The bill is aimed at eliminating of dry latrines and manual scavenging and the rehabilitation in alternate occupations of those engaged in this task.

In the bill, the definition of manual scavenger has been widened to include a person engaged or employed for manual cleaning of human excreta in an insanitary latrine or in an open drain or pit, a drain carrying sewage, sewer and on railway tracks etc. and to set up vigilance and monitoring committees at the sub-division, district, state and central levels.

Figure 68 A: Woman engaging in manual scavenging

SECTION 3: Salient features of the bill:

1. Prohibition of manual scavenging and rehabilitation of manual scavengers; 2. Prohibition of insanitary latrines, which include such latrines where human excreta needs to be cleaned or other-wise handled manually; 3. The definition of manual scavenger has been widened to include a person engaged or employed, inter alia, for manual cleaning of human excreta in an insanitary latrine or in an open drain or pit, railway tracks etc.;

4. Express provisions for identification of manual scavengers and insanitary latrines; 5. Prohibition of hazardous manual cleaning of septic tanks and sewers, so as to ensure that health and safety of such workers is not compromised; 6. More stringent penal provisions for contravention of the Act; and 7. Vigilance and monitoring Committees at the Sub-division, District, State and Central levels.

Effects of Manual Scavenging: 1. Normally low socio-economic strata of society are engaged in manual scavenging. This creates discrimination among the people and the scavengers suffer from an extreme form of social exclusion. 2. Scavengers suffer not only from constant but sometimes debilitating diseases (such as eye infections, diarrhoea, and asthma) 3. The scavenging work itself, in combination with the physical(health)and psychological impact it has on those who perform it, plays a part in maintaining caste discrimination as it reaffirms the traditional justification for the exclusion of members of this caste, that is, they are a “polluted” dirty people.

Plumbers should do the following regarding manual scavenging:

• Educate the owners of the household about the need to eliminate manual scavenging • Ensure that the septic tank or its connection does not provide options for manual scavenging. • The Sewerage services shall be humanized and made free from all forms of hazard and squalor. • Ensure that the cleaning of sewers and septic tanks has to be done using mechanical devices. • The sanitation workers shall be provided adequate protective devices and welfare measures.

Chapter 6 4. Manholes should be closed immediately after the completion of inspection. 5. Damaged covers should be replaced immediately.

Precautions to be taken while entering a manhole / sewer line / septic tank:

A. Against gas hazards:

1. Use only safety gas proof electric lighting equipment or mirror for reflection of light. Workman may enter with safety belt attached with at least two men available at the top. 2. The ladder step or rung should be examined before putting full weight on it. 3. Portable air blowers are recommended for ventilation.

B. Against infection:

1. Cuts and grazes should be covered with water proof plasters. 2. Effective immunization of workers against diseases such as typhoid, cholera, tetanus etc should be done by vaccination. 3. Rubber gloves and gumboots should be used without fail. 4. Keep fingers out of nose, mouth and eyes to avoid infection. 5. When work is completed, thoroughly wash all contaminated parts of the body.

Figure 68 B: Woman engaging in manual scavenging

SECTION 4: Occupational health and safety during plumbing

Tips to maintain and work with manholes (As per Ref: IS 11972 : 1987 - Reaffirmed in 2002)

Maintenance:

1. Manhole cover should be water tight. 2. Avoid infiltration of water through cracks and joints 3. Cracks should be attended immediately.

Figure 69: A sewerage worker clears a choked drain

C. Safety:

1. Use safety helmet with cap lamp 2. Use eye protectors 3. Use gas mask and breathing apparatus. 4. First aid equipment should be available.

D. Procedure:

1. Collect and check all safety equipment. 2. Set up adequate road markings. 3. For ventilating the system, open up • The working manhole • Next manhole upstream and • Next manhole downstream.

E. After completion of work:

1. Replace all grids, guard rails and manhole covers. 2. Wash thoroughly before eating anything.