News
New labour regulations to protect children
Using children between the ages of 16 and 18 to change tyres, cook in restaurants and cut tiles or handle dangerous equipment is to be banned under new regulations, a senior Labour Department official said.
For this purpose, the Labour Ministry will expand the list of jobs considered to be hazardous to children between 16 and 18. The list is to be increased from 52 to 76, Labour Commissioner General Prabath Chandrakeerthi said. The regulations are being reviewed by the Legal Draftsman. Under the proposed regulations, children also cannot be used for gem and sand mining, deep sea fishing, at casting iron factories and in industries using chemicals.
A National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) official said that with the expansion of the list, even if a child between 16 and 18 is used as a domestic aide. they cannot be used for any of the work in the hazardous jobs.
“For instance, a child cannot be used to change a tyre even if is in a residence,” the official said
He said children could not be employed for cooking in commercial kitchens in hotels and restaurants.
Meanwhile, the NCPA is to appint a team to carry out raids on houses which employ underage children.