TRANSPORT SERVICES, 187
Safety in Docks.
There are at present no regulations to protect the bulk of dock
workers engaged in handling cargo against the risk of accidents, nor is
there any inspection by an independent authority to ensure that ade-
quate precautions are taken for the safety of dock workers. The bye-
laws framed by the Port Commissioners of some of the ports contain
provisions for the safety of the workers, but these apply only to the em-
ployees of the Port Trust and not to dock labour employed by private
firms. There is no legal obligation to report the majority of accidents
in docks, and investigations into accidents have to be conducted either
by the Port Trust authorities, who are themselves substantial employers
of labour, or by the police. Accurate statistics of accidents are not
available and there would appear to be little systematic effort to devise
preventive measures. In Bombay and Calcutta arrangements are made
for the periodical testing of chains and slings used by contractors’
labour, and registers are maintained of all tests carried out by the port
authorities. Such arrangements are not to be found in all ports, and we
consider it important that a proper system should be introduced of test-
ing all gear and equipment used in the handling of cargo. We understand
that the matter has been under the consideration of Government in con-
bection with the Draft Convention adopted by the Twelfth International
Labour Conference concerning the protection against accidents of workers
employed in loading or unloading ships. We recommend that legislation
empowering local Governments to frame safety regulations for docks
should be undertaken without delay. The regulations should be pre-
pared in consultation with the Chief Inspectors of Factories, who should
also be made responsible for their enforcement. The regulations should
further provide for the prover reporting of all serious accidents.
Howrs of Work.
The hours of work of dock labour vary from port to port, and
there are no restrictions either on normal working hours or on overtime.
Although the excess of labour is greatest in Karachi and Rangoon, in
these ports the hours of work are longest. The day shift in Karachi
axtends to 12 hours in summer and to 11 in winter, with one hour's
interval, while the men on the night shift work for 113 hours without a
break. A proposal to reduce hours was considered by the Port Trust,
but met with opposition and the Trust decided not to pursue it. It was
revived by a strike which occurred immediately after our visit, but, so
far as we are aware, apart from ga promise from the stevedores that they
would not oppose any reduction which might be agreed to by the Port
Trust, nothing has been done. In Rangoon the day as well as the night
shifts are 11 hours in duration, without any interval except between
the two shifts. In Madras the daily hours are also 11, but the workers
are given an hour’s interval in the middle of the day. In Bombay
the meri on the day shift work 9 hours and on night shift 8 hours, while
in Calcutta the hours of work are between 7 a. and 5 P.M. with two
tervals of half an hour each. Having regard to the heavy character