Government of West Bengal
Department of Health & Family Welfare
Swasthya Bhawan
GN-29, Sector – V, Salt Lake, Kolkata – 700091
No. 217-Secy(HFW)/2024 Date: 19/08/2024
ORDER
WHEREAS, ensuring safety and security of women working in the night shift at different establishments both in Government as well as private sector has always been a priority for the State Government.
WHEREAS, measures taken in this regard are reviewed from time to time at different levels. However, it is felt that it is necessary to issue a comprehensive guideline in this regard.
Therefore, a flagship programme, RATTIRER SAATHI – HELPERS OF THE NIGHT, for the safety for women specially for those working during night is hereby launched with the following guidelines for implementation in medical colleges/hospitals/hostels etc. wherever provisions are not already available.
- There should be a separate designated rest rooms with toilets for women.
- Woman volunteers shall be on duty at night.
- Safe Zones will be identified and created for women with full coverage by CCTV and its monitoring.
- A special mobile phone app with alarm devices will be developed which shall be compulsorily downloaded by all working women and which will be connected to the local police stations/police control room.
- Helpline No. 100/112 should be extensively used specially during panic/emergency situations.
- Security checks and breath analyser tests will be carried out to ensure safer working conditions.
- All organisations will be requested to set up Visakha Committee on sexual harassments on women in workplaces, if not done already.
- Sensitisation programme will be organised in government establishments on issues relating to women’s safety and private sectors will also be requested to organise the same.
- WORKING IN PAIRS: Organisations will be encouraged to devise schedules so that women work in pairs/team so as to know one another’s movements during night hours wherever possible.
- Private Institutions shall also be encouraged to set up RATTIRER SHAATHI protocol.
- In addition to above, the following additional steps will also be taken up if not already in place –
- (i) Night police patrolling will be carried out in all medical colleges and hospitals, women hostels and such other places.
- (ii) Adequate drinking water facilities will be on all floors in the hospitals etc. wherever not available.
- (iii) Identity cards will be displayed by all the faculty, staff, security guard etc. in the medical colleges and hospitals.
- (iv) Security officer will be posted by police in all medical colleges hospitals and district hospitals for overall security supervision.
- (v) Working hours of women including woman doctors should not preferably exceed 12 hours at a time.
- (vi) Wherever possible, night duty may be avoided for women to the extent possible.
- (vii) Security guards in government medical colleges and hospitals, District Hospitals should be a mix of male and female security guards.
Sd/- Principal Secretary
Health & Family Welfare Department
Government of West Bengal