Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 1850495947

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-233603

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: His Majesty's Stationery Off.

Year of publication:: 1931

Scope:: xviii, 580 S.; graph. Darst., Kt.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter XIV. - Health and welfare of the industrial worker

Collection:: Economics Books

HEALTH AND WELFARE. 253 in the Workmen's Compensation Act. This Act is of use from the pre- ventive side, as it not infrequently brings to light conditions whose causation and prevention require investigation. Whilst recognising that compulsory notification of industrial disease is the best method, we consider that the time for its introduction in India has not yet arrived, and we recommend that the medical inspectors of factories and mines, whose appointment has been suggested elsewhere, should be instructed to devote special attention to the subject. Industrial Health Research. The industries of India are now of such importance to her econo- mic welfare, and world competition has become so keen, that it is neces- sary for industry to be conducted upon the most efficient basis possible. To achieve this end conditions detrimental to the health and well-being of the worker must be eliminated. Yet it is not always easy, even for experts, to separate cause and effect when dealing with conditions in the factory itself. In Britain, towards the end of the war, when the many implications of industrial fatigue were beginning to be realised, a Research Board was constituted to investigate the causes and effects of such fatigue in relation to long hours of work, the nature of the operations performed, the surroundings in which they were carried out and the physical condi- tions imposed thereby. As this work developed, it was inevitable that wider problems should be the subject of investigation, and recently this body has been re-named the Industrial Health Research Board. In a number of directions the investigations have enabled the formula- tion of definite conclusions of value to industry generally as well as to particular classes of manufacture. Examples of these are researches indicating the importance of scientifically designed and well-adjusted lighting in factories and the establishment of definite seasonal variations in the output of men engaged on heavy muscular work. The study of causes of sickness and absenteeism which underlie the wide variations observed in different industries has also added greatly to the knowledge which previously existed on this subject. These are only a few of the investigations which have already enabled certain branches of industry to adopt changes in practice which have led to increased efficiency. Agency for Industrial Research in India. Exceptin a few instances, it would be impossible to apply deduc- bions made from researches in the industries of Western countries even to the same problems in similar industries in the East; moreover, problems unknown in Britain call for solution in the industrial field in india. We are anxious not. to multiply agencies. The best way of arranging for the necessary research in India would be to entrust it to the Indian Research Fund Association which is already in existence. This work appears to have a claim for special assistance from Government, and it might be possible for employers’ associations to finance investiga~ bions of this character in the industries in which they are particularly Interested. A staff of trained investicators—not all medical —and one or

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