MINISTER of Labour, Dr. Nanda Kishore Gopaul has pointed out that industrial accidents are extremely costly to employers and the State.
But the human cost to workers and their families, particularly in the case of fatalities, is unquantifiable and demands greater responsibility, he said, when delivering the feature address on Tuesday, at the opening of a three-day workshop on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) in the mining sector. Gopaul said that the sector has seen increased activities and investments owing to the high prices for gold, necessitating greater vigilance by the Safety Inspectorate of his ministry.
He said unfortunately, for this year, there have been a few industrial accidents, some with fatalities and the seminar comes at an opportune moment to edify people and emphasise the need to ensure that the rules of safety are observed.
Gopaul reiterated that every accident is costly to employers and the State but more so to workers and there is need to minimise the number of accidents and, altogether, eliminate the fatalities due to industrial ones.
The minister noted that persons working in the mining industry, sometimes, seem to relax in their vigilance and this may result in accidents but he challenged all stakeholders of the sector, especially those working in the fields, to take OSH as their personal responsibility.

Collaboration
“Our mission at the Ministry of Labour is not to wantonly prosecute persons who violate the OSH law, but to work with them to ensure the safety and health rules are observed and the workplace is safe. If you need assistance to meet these obligations, seek the services at the Labour Department. Collaboration is important in ensuring safety and health in the workplace, so let us team up,” he encouraged.
He also urged workshop participants to make sure they actively take part in the discussions and that safety is never compromised, challenging them to widely disseminate the knowledge they will gain over the next few days.
The minister observed that Guyana has enacted modern laws to govern the area and is in the process of preparing supporting regulations. Both the Act and the regulations received the input of various stakeholders represented on the Tripartite Committee, reflecting an inclusive approach of social partners in crafting and enacting guiding tools to protect employers and employees.
On that note, Gopaul explained that the Labour Department has been able to assist many workers seeking redress in the courts for employment issues.
He said, though, that the objective is to have harmonious industrial relations and, for this reason, he implored employers to fulfil their obligations to employees so that the legal system will be a last resort.
The workshop is being facilitated by mining expert Mr. Robert Lambeth and Dr. Yuka Ujita, OSH specialist of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Office in the Caribbean.  

Applicable                                
Lambeth said, Wednesday, that the next few days would see collaborative efforts to develop an OSH road map for the mining sector and make it applicable to the local environment.
He said the training is aimed primarily at workers employed at mining sites.
Meanwhile, Ujita underscored the importance of safeguarding the human capital in the mining industry for sustainability, since it is key to both economic and social development.
She said safety and health at work is a fundamental human right and this could be achieved through decent work.
The programme was hosted by the Labour Ministry with support from the ILO through the Decent Work Programme.
Statistics revealed at the forum, by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, Mr. Joslyn Mc Kenzie, indicate that mining contributed to 11 percent of Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 53 percent of the foreign exchange for last year.
He also disclosed that the country has already surpassed last year’s declaration of 363,000 ounces of gold and is on target to attain the 400,000 ounces target set for 2012.
This is mined primarily by small and medium scale miners among the some 6,000 local and international operators in the mining industry, employing thousands of workers.
McKenzie explained that those figures are likely to climb as the price for gold increases and makes it necessary for heightened attention to OSH, not just at mining pits, but in the areas of transportation and mechanisation, as well.

Onus
He emphasised that, while the authorities are responsible for enforcing OSH guidelines, the onus is on employers and employees to wear protective gear and adhere to safety measures.
McKenzie cautioned machine operators against taking such jobs if they were not properly trained.  
Chief Labour Officer, Mr. Charles Ogle said that the workshop attendees are stakeholders of the diamond, gold, bauxite, magnesium and quarrying industries, as well as labour inspectors, union officials, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) staff and person from the Surinamese mining sector.
It is, reportedly, the first of its kind for the Caribbean, hence the ILO would use it as a tool for the other countries in this region and Latin America, following a previous one on strategic management of the extractive industries.