CREA and IIHS co-hosted a conclave on the Occupational Health and Safety of Sanitation Workers in India at Hotel Lemon Tree Premium, Mumbai, on 1-2 August 2024. Sanitation workers in India face severe occupational hazards, often leading to long-term illness, disability, and a high risk of accidental death, particularly during sewer and septic tank cleaning and maintenance. Since 1993, over 1,200 sanitation workers have died on the job.

The conclave addressed these issues by bringing together experts from diverse fields, including sanitation workers from various Indian cities, medical professionals, legal experts, mental health activists, civil society organisations, and representatives from the WHO and ILO. The discussions focused on integrating caste, gender, and other perspectives into the discourse around sanitation workers’ occupational health and safety concerns.

Day One centred on occupational safety, hazard identification, the use of AI in risk management and the efficacy of legally mandated PPE. A special session facilitated sanitation workers to share their experiences of how everyday work hazards become risks and the available coping mechanisms.

Day Two emphasised on occupational health, stigma and discrimination, policy and governance, and inter-movement dialogue involving thematic experts and panel discussions. Niladri Chakraborti, Senior Lead – TNUSSP Practice, IIHS, moderated the panel discussion on policy and governance involving the Center for Budget Governance and Accountability, CWAS, UMC, and Hasiru Dala.

The conclave concluded with an acknowledgement of the complexity involving sanitation workers’ occupational health and safety in India and a renewed commitment to address the issues in a systematic manner. Follow-up communication materials will be made available on YouTube and other platforms.