Time To Update Workplace Law – Government, Workers | General News

Both the government and workers have acknowledged the need to update the regulation that comprehensively and holistically addresses occupational safety and health to better safeguard the safety and health of workers.

This is because though the safety and health of workers is crucial to efficiency, effectiveness and optimises production, oftentimes, employers and employees choose convenience over doing the right thing, which is prioritising health and safety, a less costly price to pay for prevention, and only end up paying a costly price to provide compensation when the unexpected happens.

From uncomfortable furniture at offices, poor ventilation and lack of appropriate personal protective equipment for field staff, the safety and wellbeing of workers are often taken for granted and the staff invariably pay a price with their health either on the job or after retirement when they do not have enough resources to manage their situation.

While the Trades Union Congress (TUC) is calling on the government to speed up the promulgation of the law, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, has said the government acknowledged the fact that the national policy and legal framework on occupational safety and health required drastic improvement.

“Calls for the promulgation of a comprehensive national Occupational Safety and Health Law are not exaggerated. These are genuine concerns that government is acting upon to establish a strong policy and legislative regime,” Mr Baffour Awuah said at an event to mark World Health and Safety Day which fell yesterday.

20th anniversary
This year’s event is the 20th anniversary celebration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work.

A day set aside by the trades union movement in 1996 to highlight the vital work carried out by people and dedicated to reducing preventable injuries and harm to workers, the day is commemorated to remind all that every individual has the right to a safe and healthy working environment.

It highlights the fact that it is the responsibility of employers, governments and the society as a whole to ensure that this right is upheld.

It is also marked to remember the workers who lost their lives in the line of duty and who have sustained various forms of disability at the workplace.

The day is further used to advocate better safe working conditions for workers.
This year’s theme was: “A safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental principle and right at work.”

Situation
Although workers have a responsibility towards themselves to ensure that they work safely to protect themselves and their fellow workers from harm, they often overlook this and do very little to push for their right or protect their interest, for fear of losing their jobs.

This, according to research, is a source of concern among factory workers and workers within the waste collection industry.

Data available from the TUC shows that last year, 1,043 workers were reported to have been involved in work-related accidents at workplaces and out of the number, 37 died, while many other sustained varying degrees of injury, resulting in some forms of disability.

Bill
The TUC, yesterday, at an event to mark the day, said the enactment of the law would ensure that no one was denied that right.

The National Occupational Safety and Health Bill, a comprehensive bill that seeks to promote a safe work environment for all stakeholders, was first introduced to Cabinet in 1989, but it was yet to receive the needed attention to be passed into an Act. It was rejected by the cabinet in its current stage, calling for a review.

A Principal Labour Officer, Francis N. Bibuksi, said the bill, when passed into law, would, among other objectives promote the highest standard, the physical, mental and social wellbeing of workers; ensure the adaptation of work to the physiological and psychological needs of persons at work and protect workers against risks and hazards to safety or health arising out of activities of persons at work.