1. Accidents and Occupational Diseases (Notification) Act Chapter 338

2. Purpose and Administration An Act to provide for the notification of accidents and occupational diseases. Commencement: 1st March, 1952 The Chief Labour Officer shall be responsible for the administration of this Act

3. Notification of accidents Accidents arising out of and in the course of the employment of any worker which (a) causes a worker’s loss of life; or (b) disables a worker, for more than 3 days, from doing the work at which he was employed at the time of such accident, Shall forthwith be reported to the Chief Labour Officer by the employer in the form set out in Section 3 of the First Schedule.

5. Notification of accidents Every employer shall keep a book in which he shall record the occurrence of every accident at the work place; and the book shall, at all reasonable times, be kept open for inspection by the Chief Labour Officer

6. Notification of accidents With respect to accidents at work, the following should be recorded in the book: (a) the name and address of any person injured; (b) the occupation of the person; (c) the date and time of the occurrence of the accident; (d) the place of the occurrence of the accident; (e) the type of machinery involved in the accident; and (f) the nature and extent of any injury suffered by any person involved in the accident.

7. Provisions for Notification Extend to Dangerous Occurrences The Minister may by regulations extend the provisions of Section Three to include special classes of dangerous occurrences, whether death or disablement is caused or not. Example. explosion fire collapse of buildings accidents to machinery or plant or: other occurrences in places where workers are employed

8. Notification of occupational diseases and other diseases Section 5(1) Every registered medical practitioner attending on or called in to visit a patient whom he believes to be suffering from any occupational disease contracted in the course of his employment as a worker shall, unless such a notice has been previously sent, forthwith send addressed to the Chief Labour Officer a notice stating the name and full postal address of the patient and the disease from which, in the opinion of such medical practitioner, the patient is suffering and the name and address of the place at which, and of the employer by whom, he is or was last employed.

9. Notification of occupational diseases and other diseases Section 5(2) Any registered medical practitioner who fails to send any notice in accordance with the requirements of this section shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine Of ten dollars ($10.00)

10. Notification of occupational diseases and other diseases Section 5(3) Any employer who believes or suspects, or has reasonable grounds for believing or suspecting, that a case of occupational disease has occurred among the workers employed by him shall forthwith send written notice of such case in the form, and accompanied by the particulars, set out in the Second Schedule to the Chief Labour Officer and to the Chief Medical Officer, and the provisions of this Act with respect to the notification of accidents shall apply to any such case in like manner as to any such accident as is mentioned in those provisions.

12. Notification of occupational diseases and other diseases The Minister may by regulation extend the provisions of Section 5 to any disease other than the occupational diseases listed in the Sections 2 and 9 of the Third Schedule.

13. List of Occupational Diseases Third Schedule Pneumoconioses caused by sclerogenic mineral dust (silicosis, anthracosilicosis, asbestosis) and silica-tuberculosis, if silicosis is an essential factor in causing the resultant incapacity or death. Bronchopulmonary diseases caused by hardmetal dust. Bronchopulmonary diseases caused by cotton dust (byssinosis) or flax, hemp or sisal dust. Occupational asthma caused by sensitising agents or irritants both recognised in this regard and inherent in the work process. Extrinsic allergic alveolitis and its sequelae caused by the inhalation of organic dusts, as may be prescribed under any enactment.

14. List of Occupational Diseases Diseases caused by beryllium or its toxic compounds. Diseases caused by cadmium or its toxic compounds. Diseases caused by phosphorus or its toxic compounds. Diseases caused by chromium or its toxic compounds. Diseases caused by manganese or its toxic compounds. Diseases caused by arsenic or its toxic compounds. Diseases caused by mercury or its toxic compounds. Diseases caused by lead or its toxic compounds. Diseases caused by fluorine or its toxic compounds. Diseases caused by carbon disulfide.

15. List of Occupational Diseases Diseases caused by the toxic halogen derivatives of aliphatic or aromatic hydro-carbons. Diseases caused by benzene or its toxic homologues. Diseases caused by toxic nitro- and amino-derivatives of benzene or its homologues. Diseases caused by nitroglycerin or other nitric acid esters. Diseases caused by alcohols, glycols or ketones. Diseases caused by asphyxiants: carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide or its toxic derivatives, hydrogen sulfide. Hearing impairment caused by noise. Diseases caused by vibration (disorders of muscles, tendons, bones, joints, peripheral blood vessels or peripheral nerves).

16. List of Occupational Diseases Diseases caused by work in compressed air. Diseases caused by ionising radiations. Skin diseases caused by physical, chemical or biological agents not included under other items. Primary epitheliomatous cancer of the skin caused by tar, pitch, bitumen, mineral oil, anthracene, or the compounds, products or residues of these substances. Lung cancer or mesotheliomas caused by asbestos. Infectious or parasitic diseases contracted in an occupation where there is a particular risk of contamination. Baggassosis.

17. Power of Minister to direct formal investigation of accidents and cases of occupational disease Minister can direct a formal investigation into any accident or occupational disease arising out of and in the course of employment

18. Penalties Penalty where none is specified for contravening Act of $500 and/or 3 months imprisonment

19. Thank you for your attention! Labour Department Occupational Safety and Health Section Tel: 310-1500 Email: labour@labour.gov.bb