Twenty One Sectors will benefit from a Partnership Agreement on Occupational Safety and Health

GINA, GUYANA, Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Ministry of Social Protection, Department of Labour today held a Partnership Forum on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) at the Pegasus Hotel where 21 organisations signed the (OSH) Partnership Agreement.

The signing of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Partnership Agreement between the Ministry and Twenty One (21) Public and Private Sectors is aimed at fostering and enhancing safety in the health management system at workplace.

The Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Kith Scott in his remarks thanked employers for taking the step towards ensuring that the safety of their employees are in their best interest and for coming on board with the Ministry, “they have shown their willingness to work with the Ministry of Social Protection all for the promotion of Occupational Safety and Health” Minister Scott said.

Chief Labour Occupational Safety and Health Officer Lydia Greene said that the ministry views this, “as an important stepping stone for closer collaboration with employers and their representatives.”

While International Labour Organization ILO Representative Ariel Pino who made a presentation said that the forum aims to  enable  participants to define what is “the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Management Systems are and how it can improve the working conditions in Guyana. Mr.Pino said organizations that participate will define, “what the OSH management systems are; how they can be applied to the national context (government’s laws, legislation, acts, practices and health) and how it translates at the enterprise level.”

Participants also discussed the risk assessment, OSH policy at national levels and also at enterprise level, plan of actions in order to improve the current labour situations as well as the assessment of the implementation of the programmes.

Consultant on Occupational Safety and Health to the Ministry of Social Protection Gwen King said that the partnership will help to, “combat workplace hazards and reduce workplace accidents and illnesses.”

Lorene Baird, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Social Protection outlined the importance of working together and how beneficial that can be to the development of policies which focuses resources on conditions, practices and programme deficiencies which have contributed to a significant incidence of injuries and illnesses within specific workplace. Some of the other objectives of the partnership focused on resources on those workplaces which are experiencing high number of workplace injuries and illnesses

Additionally, to  create awareness with respect to safety and health at work generally and more specifically in relation to common hazards in workplaces and the way in which they can be controlled or eliminated,to motivate employers to be proactive in reducing and preventing workplace injuries and illnesses by instituting sustainable safety and health programmes and policies.

 

 

By: Delon Sancho