The National Occupational Health and Safety Service Unit at the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment is urging employers and workers to enhance the health and safety standards at their workplaces.
Labour Minister Mr Jone Usamate said improving health and safety standards in workplaces is not the sole responsibility of the employer but also requires the support and dedication of the employees.
“The 1996 Health and Safety at Work Act (HASAWA) requires both the employer and workers to work together to improve the health and safety standards of their workplace”, Minister Usamate said.
The Worker’s Compensation Unit at the Ministry recorded a total of 344 cases from January to May this year, with 299 injury cases and 100 death cases.
The Ministry to date has settled 2033 backlog cases out of the 2201 pending cases from 2001-2009. The Minister highlighted this significant achievement saying that the assistance from other departments including the RFMF also contributed to clearing these cases.
Minister Usamate said that the ‘duty of care’ principle under the law requires employers to provide and maintain, for his or her workers, a working environment that is safe and without risks to health.
This includes providing the necessary safety equipments to work with, the provisions of proper instructions and procedure manuals, warnings and notices about the job. The employer should also provide and maintain means of access to and egress from the workplace and proper provisions of amenities.
Under the Act every workplace should develop and implement Occupational and Health Safety policies reflecting the commitment of management and workers. An OHS policy enables effective cooperation between the employer and the workers in developing measures to ensure the workplace is free from occupational injuries, deaths and accidents.
The Minister urged employers to reinforce the establishment of OHS committees and adopt other health and safety measures to develop a safe and healthy working environment.
An OHS committee provides opportunities for all employees to express their views about issues that have implications for health and safety.
“Collaboratively they can achieve company goals more quickly, enhance productivity and quality and most importantly minimise injury/illness, loss of life and compensation costs,” Mr Usamate said.
Any employer who contravenes or fails to comply with any provision of the law is guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine of not more than $100,000 in the case of a corporation or $10,000 in any other case.