Labour Ministry opens OSH training to promote safe working environments

Some 15 persons are receiving training in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), geared at promoting safe working environments for citizens.

Minister of Labour, Hon. Joseph Hamilton who was at the opening session on Monday at the Pegasus hotel, said OSH plays a significant role in the labour force.

“We have two choices in this matter, either we continue our merry way and we prepare to go wake houses and play dominoes and cards and to attend funerals or we change…All of us in this room and beyond we have a role to play in this matter and we cannot see this narrowly, it has to be objectively; it has to be expansively and recognise that what you are doing it is for the national good,” he said.

The two-day programme will train members of the Joint Workplace Safety and Health Committee established with Exxon to execute their mandate in the workplace as required by the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Chapter 99:10.

It will also equip participants with basic knowledge and skills to enable them to develop and maintain safe systems and safe methods to minimise workplace accidents.  

Additionally, for the very first time in Guyana, an OSH officer will be assigned on a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit.

Minister Hamilton said the government will continue to make the necessary investments in its people to improve their lives.

“We will continue to do our very best. We will continue to work diligently through the length and breadth of Guyana. We will continue to expend money to train our offices at all levels and we’ve already started that, this is only one of those trainings. All the senior officers, we’re exposing them to international training,” the minister said. 

Exxon Mobil’s Safety Security Health and Environment Manager, Brad Edlington highlighted the importance of health and safety in the work environment.

“For Exxon Mobil, there is nothing more important than the health and safety of our work force, the people that visit us, and the community around us…We embrace this opportunity to be able to spend some time with the leadership in the ministry in order to ensure that we understand the expectations of the OSH act and the best practices that you are able to share with us,”he said.