OSH activities taking place countrywide

DPI, GUYANA, Friday, April 20, 2018

The Demerara Harbor Bridge Corporation today held its annual Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) Banner competition in observance of Occupational Safety and Health month (April).

Officiating at the event was Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott who has recently been engaged in a number of OSH activities taking place across the country.

In his remarks, the minister said “we, the ministry, are dedicated to ensuring that not only the health and safety is protected but also your entire wellbeing from the time you enter the work environment until the time that you leave it. And for that reason, policies and programmes must be put in place to educate, sensitise and protect you from the risk and dangers associated with work.”

Further, Minister Scott underscored his commitment to having the ministry involved in one-on-one sessions to inform persons about the importance of safety and the dangers of not adhering to safety measures. He, thereafter, said that safety is vital to everyone and if not followed, the society and the nation would have fewer resources which see the country suffering a great loss.

The minister also took a chance to highlight the responsibility of employer’s towards the employee, that being, their requirement to provide a four-pronged safety mechanism as was established in the ‘nature of common law’ which includes a safe set of tools, a safety system of working, a safe working environment, safe working colleagues, placing emphasis on the safe working colleagues, saying to keep good relations and looking out for each other (late Law Professor Aubrey Bishop’s teaching).

Commenting on the competition, the minister said “permit me to congratulate all the participants. What is most important is not winning or losing but participating. You are all winners in the sense that you have contributed to improving the health and safety of your colleagues, especially your young colleagues.”

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) marks the World Day for Safety and Health at Work on the 28th of April to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally. It is an awareness-raising campaign intended to focus international attention on emerging trends in the field of occupational safety and health and on the magnitude of work-related injuries, diseases and fatalities worldwide. The theme for 2018 is “OSH vulnerability of young workers”.

The Ministry of Social Protection has so far conducted a number of activities in relation to the Day and recently concluded a Youth Workers Symposium and a number of walks.

 

By: Stephon Gabriel