…“Our country’s population is too small,” Minister Scott

TWENTY-TWO persons lost their lives to work-related incidents in 2018 according to Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott.

Speaking at an Occupational Safety and Health Symposium at the Herdmanston Lodge, Lamaha Street, Queenstown on Wednesday, Minister Scott told stakeholders that Guyana cannot afford to lose its already limited human resource. “In terms of recording and investigating accidents at workplaces in 2018, 560 accidents were reported and 22 or four per cent resulted in the loss of life,” the minister said.

The symposium was held under the theme “safety and health and the future of work: building on the knowledge and achievements accumulated over the years” and was organised by the Occupational Safety and Health Department of the Ministry of Social Protection.

Scott further reminded the attendees that every single employer must understand that the employees’ health comes first and that the laws of Guyana, at all stages of it, must be enforced. “The cost of losing a life on the job is unacceptable. Our country is too small, manpower is at a premium, hence we need to make sure that we find ways and means of protecting our workforce,” he said.

His comments come days after two Chinese men, who were employed at the Guyana Manganese Inc. in the Barima-Waini, North West District (NWD), died while cleaning a tunnel at the Matthews Ridge site. Scott said that the seriousness with which the ministry dealt with the matter, meant to have sent a message to all and sundry that our country is determined to see that laws are always upheld and must be obeyed. He said this happened because the employers seem to have forgotten that in Guyana anything to do with employment has to begin with OHS.
He took the opportunity to remind employees that the laws of Guyana states that if there is a fatality, the ministry must be informed immediately, the ministry must be the first responders.

The Occupational Safety and Health Department of the Ministry of Social Protection is charged with the responsibility of monitoring, encouraging and enforcing the practice of good safety and health standards at work. It provides information, advisory, supervisory and regulatory services to assist employers, workers and trade unions in the recognition and control of workplace hazards/stresses. Its legal authority is derived from the Occupational Safety and Health Act, No. 32 of 1997, Chap. 99:06 Laws of Guyana and the regulations made there under. The Act is the primary legislation governing workplace safety and health. It applies to every industrial establishment and it provides for enforcement of the law where compliance is not achieved voluntarily.

An “Industrial Establishment” under the Occupational Safety and Health Act means a factory, shop, office, or workplace. The objective of the department is to improve the working conditions and environment in Guyana, with the emphasis on preventative rather than curative measures.

The department functions entails conducting inspections and surveys of workplaces in both the formal and informal economy in order to determine compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act Chap, 99:06 Laws of Guyana and Regulations.
They also provide advice and guidance on ways in which working conditions and environment could be improved and the maintenance of good workplace safety and health practice.

Other speakers at the opening session included Mr. Samuel Goolsarran, Consultant at the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industries (CAGI), Dr. Barbara Reynolds, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Planning and International Engagement, University of Guyana, representatives of the Guyana Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana, (FITUG). Mr. Shelton Daniels, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Social Protection chaired the workshop.