AS part of ongoing efforts to address workplace accidents and improve safety in the work environment, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton said more investments will be made to ensure that persons are trained and workplaces are secure.

During a press conference at the Ministry of Labour on Tuesday, Hamilton reflected on the strides the government ministry has made since the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government assumed office.
“…Over a three-year period, we have moved from 32 deaths in that year, at least and now 20 deaths [in 2023] that should not have happened…,” the minister said.

Hamilton stated that despite inheriting a neglected ministry from the APNU+AFC, he has assiduously pursued a path of resuscitating it.
“So the Occupational Safety and Health Department is a work in progress,” he said.

With the bulk of workplace fatalities occurring in the construction and mining sectors, it was stated that of the 20 deaths in 2023, nine were in the mining sector and six in the construction sector. The mining sector accidents occurred in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

With that said, Hamilton said that much attention is being placed on the two aforementioned sectors.
The remaining five fatalities occurred in the sectors of logging, security, vehicular and vulcanisation.
Hamilton related: “The big issue here is every death is a person…I don’t treat these as statistics and we are doing everything possible to ensure that this can be reduced to zero.”

Moreover, he stated that the Ministry of Labour will be collaborating with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Gold Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), and the Ministry of Health to create a unique training programme aimed at giving miners First Aid Training, owing to the concerning amount of deadly accidents in the mining sector.

MORE TRAINING
According to the Labour Minister, 950 workplace inspections were carried out and this benefitted over 8,000 workers.
With safety playing an important role in national development, he also boasted that the ministry has been partnering with the private sector to educate employers and employees on proper health and safety.

“So when I’m speaking about our health and safety, I’m talking about the full spectrum [of] training for [the] oil and gas sector. We [have] engaged 11 companies [and] 250 persons were beneficiaries to training that we offer free of cost,” he said, while reflecting on the accomplishments of the ministry in 2023.

When questioned by the Guyana Chronicle if the ministry will be providing better training to produce more competent Occupational Safety and Health (OSHIs) Inspectors, Hamilton said that plans are being rolled out to tackle this issue, despite the obstacles.

“… We have to continue to train. But the point is as I’ve said you have to recognise the importance of this area in our national development, the protection and safety of workers, we have not given give it attention that we have given so many other professions and we have to encourage people…” he said.

Aiming to bring more recognition to the profession of OSH, in order to enhance the human- resource capability, Hamilton said that the culture within Guyana of not recognising this field needs to change.

“We’re coming from a position as Guyanese, where occupational safety and health officer is not even a profession. We have to make this [a] profession. A noble profession like all the others we have made,” the minister said.