– with focus on AI and Digitalization
Under the theme “Revolutionizing Health and Safety: The Role of AI and Digitalization at Work,” the Ministry of Labour officially launched Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Month 2025. This year’s theme emphasizes the impact of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalization on worker safety and health.
During the launch event, Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton highlighted the importance of the theme in addressing new work practices, including the automation of tasks, big data analysis, smart digital systems, and AI-driven worker management. He underscored that the safety and health of workers are paramount in any progressive society, including Guyana.
“OSH is recognized as a responsibility that requires a collective approach, where collaboration with tripartite partners and key stakeholders is essential to creating safer and healthier workplaces,” Minister Hamilton stated. He emphasized the need for employers to anticipate hazards and create safer environments to minimize workers’ exposure to dangerous tasks.
The Ministry’s OSH Department has expanded its staffing by 20 positions, ensuring that workers across all regions of Guyana have access to essential OSH services. Minister Hamilton noted that existing OSH offices have received refresher training in specialized areas, including industry safety, marine safety, mining, construction, agriculture, and inspection techniques for floating production storage and offload vessels (FPSOs).
These improvements have led to a significant increase in workplace inspections, with over 4,800 inspections conducted, impacting an estimated 30,000 workers. Additionally, safety and health outreach efforts have reached numerous workers across Regions One, Two, Three, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine, as well as in the agriculture and mining sectors.
Norris Witter, President of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), spoke at the launch about the need to prioritize occupational safety and health, particularly in light of the 60 percent increase in industrial accidents last year. “In 2023, there were 22 deaths, and last year that number rose to 32. Any death must be considered a tragedy, and we must ensure our workplaces are safe and free from harm,” Witter said. He emphasized the importance of focusing on safety, especially within the mining and construction industries, where many accidents occur.
Carvil Duncan, President of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), also addressed the launch, stressing the necessity for workers to be trained in response to new technological advancements in the country. “The world is changing. We need to adapt in a direction that is more worker-oriented and beneficial to the workers,” he stated.
The OSH Month 2025 theme specifically examines new technologies through an occupational safety and health lens, including advanced robots, AI, machine learning, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It aims to explore how the digital transformation of work can promote safe and healthy working environments, as well as what actions governments, employers, workers, and other stakeholders are taking to address these emerging challenges.
For more information, individuals can contact the Ministry of Labour at 225-7008, 225-8801, or 225-8803, or email osh.events@labour.gov.gy.