Kolkata, July 30 (IANS) The West Bengal government is all set to bring in force a set of guidelines for the protection and safety of women workers in night shifts in the Information Technology (IT) sector and other industries.
The state home department has already prepared a draft in this regard and sought advice from various departments, including IT, health, transport, police, where women work in night shifts.
The new move was initiated following the ghastly rape and murder of a lady doctor of the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata within the hospital premises in August last year. Incidentally, the lady doctor faced this macabre tragedy while she was on her night shift.
A source in the state government said that it would not be mandatory for women to work night shifts. “However, organisations will have to take written permission from women who will work in the night shift voluntarily,” said a senior government official on Wednesday.
After the R.G. Kar incident, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced that her government would bring these guidelines to ensure the safety of women working in night shifts.
The court also gave the same order to the state. According to sources in the state secretariat, a total of 22 points have been mentioned in this draft proposal.
It says that the organisation, which will employ women workers in night shifts, will have to ensure their safety even on the way to the office or back home from the office at night.
“In that case, the company’s vehicle in which those female employees will travel should have GPS tracking, and trained female security guards should be kept in that vehicle. Along with that, an emergency alert button should be installed in the vehicle,” said a senior government official.
The draft guidelines also mention that the night shift will be from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., and at least 10 women or one-third of the total shift should be kept together in the office. In addition, arrangements should be made for a place for female workers to take rest, and a canteen must be set up so that they do not have to go outside the office premises to have food.
“An ambulance should also be kept at disposal. CCTVs should be installed at the entry-exit points and in the corridors of the office. The organisations should have a committee to receive internal complaints and adopt a zero tolerance policy in case of sexual harassment,” said the official.
Moreover, the emergency number for workplace safety must be hung in such a place in the office that everyone can notice it clearly and easily. The draft further states that there will be an internal safety review committee in every company. Its members will meet every three months and see if everything is going well.
“If not, then the company will be fined according to the labour law,” said the source.
–IANS
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