Significant workplace injuries and diseases in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Significant Workplace Injuries and Diseases in Sri Lanka Abstract: The growth of the industrial sector has been a valuable element of the economic development strategies of many countries worldwide. However in industrial operations, there is a risk of accidents and diseases that can cause extensive harm to people, and incur huge costs. The victims need to be compensated in accordance with the Workmen’s Compensation Act. This thesis presents the results of a study conducted to analyze the most significant accidents and diseases that occur in workplaces by considering the insurance claims made under the Workmen’s Compensation Act. The study classifies different types of accidents, and compares and correlates their severity and frequency. During the analysis, different types of accidents that had taken place in workplaces were identified along with the most significant accidents among them. The correlation between the severity and the frequency of workplace accidents was also established. The frequency and time have a “positive linear relationship” with each other whereas severity has a “negative linear relationship” with time. The cost per accident (severity/ frequency) has a “negative linear relationship with time. With the rapid industrialization of the country, this subject has become an area that needs to be addressed early to keep up with the phase of development. Efforts made towards reducing the rate of severity/ frequency could be a good indication that the need to gradually improve workplace safety has been acknowledged. Therefore, this rate is one of the important parameters that could be used to monitor the level of safety in a workplace. The ratio (cost/ accident) also could be used to benchmark a workplace against other workplaces. This study has also revealed that no compensation has been paid for occupational diseases, which raises a concern on the effectiveness of our national policy on workplace safety.