THE Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) on Friday launched its banner for Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Day 2023, at its Shiv Chanderpaul Drive headquarters.

April 28 is the designated day for Occupational Health and Safety Day, as well as World Day for Safety and Health at Work, 2023. This year’s theme, ‘A safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental principle and right at work,’ is in keeping with the declaration made by the International Labour Conference last June.

Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton in a public message to workers, had explained that the observance would increase the level of awareness of employers, workers and trade unions as to the importance of safety and health at work, and their respective roles and responsibilities.

The minister urged employers to make that special effort to ensure that workplaces that employ more than 20 persons establish and maintain joint workplace safety and health committees. Those workplaces that employ five but less than 20 are urged as well to have a safety and health representative appointed.

“I must advise that these are legal requirements that are likely to have legal implications for those employers who do not comply,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH), Earl Morris, in his public message encouraged employees to work together to share knowledge and to invest in resilient occupational safety and health systems.

He added that it is important that they reflect on the importance of safety and health in every aspect of their lives, be it at home, work or within their communities.

The GPSU’s First Vice-President, Dawn Gardener, on Friday disclosed that in observation of Occupational Health and Safety Day, the GPSU has recognised the importance for OHS at workplaces and has decided to amend the rules of the union which will now allow workplaces to have a safety and health officer as well as a safety and health committee.

The committee will consist of members from a number of locations.

She explained that the inclusion of members from different locations is necessary, given that there is a mandate for joint workplace safety and health meetings.

“A representative from the trade union must also be a representative of the joint workplace safety and health committee. So, we want to ensure that not only one member within the organisation has the knowledge as it relates to occupational safety and health,” stated Gardener.

Education Officer Vera Naughton, in delivering a message on behalf of the union’s President Patrick Yarde, said that the GPSU strongly supports the establishment of Joint Workplace Safety and Health Committees which is catered for under Section 23 of the OHS Act.

The GPSU President added that the union strongly believes that more training should be done within workplaces, not only for the benefit of workers, but also equally for employers and their representatives.

“A safe and healthy working environment… is one of the five fundamental principles and rights at work as outlined by the ILO. The other equally important principles of the rights of workers are: freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour, the effective abolition of child labour, and finally, the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation,” Yarde said in his message.