Lower-paid workers at higher risk of severe injury in auto sector: Report

The severity of injuries among lowly paid, unskilled, and less-educated workers appears to be worse than the skilled, better-paid, and educated workers in the automobile sector, reveals the findings of the latest report by the Safe in India Foundation (SIIF), which was released on Friday.

 

The report — Crushed 2024 — is the sixth annual study on the state of worker safety in the Indian auto sector.

 

The report noted that workers earning below Rs 8,000 in a month lost, on average, 2.27 fingers in an accident as compared to an average loss of 1.54 fingers by a worker earning more than Rs 20,000. Besides, workers who had education below 5th class lost, on average, 2.23 fingers as against 1.72 fingers lost by workers who had passed diplomas.

 

A typical crush injury to fingers results in the loss of two (1.94) fingers per injured worker, with a direct correlation between the income and severity of the accident. 

 

“The lower the wages and education, more are the fingers lost — probably because of lowly paid helpers being (illegally) used as (poorly kept) machine operators,” the report noted.

 

The Automotive Skills Development Council prescribes a minimum education level of 8th standard for press shop operators, considering this a skilled job.

 

Moreover, the report also noted that the ESIC e-Pehchan (identity) card, which enables workers and their eligible dependents to access primary, secondary, and tertiary health services, and compensation in case of sickness, injuries, unemployment, childbirth, and death, was made available to a large majority of injured workers only after the accident, contrary to ESIC regulations, which require it to be given on the day of joining their jobs.

 

“Worse the ESIC compliance, worse the injuries — indicating lack of professionalism that also causes lower labour productivity. Working hours are excessive — less than 5 per cent work the legally mandated 48 hours per week or less as 12-hour day six days a week is the norm,” the report noted.

 

Further, the report also noted that often dire financial circumstances of women led the employers to pressure them (more than men workers) to operate power presses, and in a few factories, more women run power presses than men, while earning much lower than men for the same job.