AS he emphasised the importance of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton is urging young people to pursue studies in this area, as it is considered one of the top-ranking future professions.

This was disclosed during a recent interview with HJ 94.1 Boom FM.

Noting that OSH is not a profession that is known like many others, the minister used the opportunity to urge young people to try and seek out opportunities to learn more about OSH in every sector and be a part of this growing profession.

Referring to an International Labour Organisation (ILO) assessment done on the 11 most important jobs for the future, the minister said OSH ranks the second most important.

Minister Hamilton said there are many dangers around us and said that with the rapid development happening in our country, the likelihood of mishaps occurring in different sectors is higher today than it would have been just a few short years ago.

He explained, “The likelihood presents itself… that more people might die, can die, if we don’t arrest this matter. Because, when people have to navigate a four-storey (or), six-storey building, very shortly they might have to navigate 16-storey buildings, and if you don’t pay attention to that, people are likely to lose their lives.”

With OSH month quickly approaching, the minister said that as much as we may celebrate it, OSH must be observed every month and every day.

The Labour Minister said that for him, “It is more than just workplace safety, it is more than just [an] employer/ employee matter. I think it is a national matter that we have to address. It’s a matter of our culture and how we view this specific issue.”
The minister remarked that this is the first quarter and there have already been an alarming number of deaths from workplace mishaps.

He said one of the things he senses from investigators of these deaths is that they could have been avoided had measures been put in place to ensure worker safety.

He added, “We are happy that we could come and we could share with the public what we intend to do, and to call on the public to join us as a partner in this effort. Importantly, we plan to launch this year, a PR and Communications Strategy, programmed to deal with household safety, because it’s not just a workplace matter, it’s a holistic matter.”

OSH month will be filled with a number of activities, including the annual OSH walk, an award ceremony, mounting of OSH banners, a mini exhibition at the ministry and many other activities, and will be celebrated from April 01 – April 30, 2024.

The minister said that the walk will be hosted on April 5, and he urges all citizens and businesses to get on board and participate in the OSH Walks which will be held in each region.

For more information persons can visit the ministry’s Facebook page.