OSH training to see Guyana Police Force benefiting

Police officers across the country will be trained in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) to reduce workplace accidents and fatalities, this is the commitment given by Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton. Hamilton made this disclosure while delivering the feature address to the National Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH) award ceremony on Thursday, at the Roraima Duke Lodge, Georgetown.

“We have just signed and had a discussion with the police force where OSH officers will go through the length and breadth of this country to train police officers. We have to work together to ensure that people’s lives are protected, all of us. We have been able to reduce workplace deaths from 32 in 2020 to 27 in 2021, 16 percent decrease- five persons less die,” Hamilton said. He continued, “People could live or die based on what we do or don’t do and so I have said to Guyana and I continue to say this, the problem we, have and we have to address it…it is not an employer/ employee issue only, it is a cultural issue that we have to address.”

21 companies received awards for participating in an OSH workshop, at the award ceremony. It was noted that participants have been equipped with the basic knowledge and skills to enable them to develop and maintain safe systems and methods to minimise workplace accidents.

Hamilton disclosed that NACOSH was established on March 12, 1993, to provide coordinating mechanisms to form unions in cross-portfolio initiatives into a coherent framework. This, he said is in an effort to facilitate a clear policy and programme development to enable various sectors to make appropriate links to reduce duplication and utilise resources and expertise effectively. The labour minister said that the council provides advice and support to the Labour Ministry on safety and health issues from employers, and work organisations.

Minister Hamilton congratulated the awardees on their achievement as they made one step closer to changing the culture that exists when it comes to workplace safety. “We say thank you to the people who will receive certificates, that you have made a sincere effort, commitment and dedication to help us to change the culture and to help us to help Guyanese recognise how important this matter is, how important it is to keep people safe,” Hamilton said.

He revealed that recipients of the award were placed in categories based on the size of the business. The minister disclosed that in the large category were ExxonMobil and the Linden Hospital Complex, while in the medium category were Guyana Shore Base Inc., Massy Distribution Guyana Inc. and Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc.

Meanwhile, Ultracare Medical Centre Guyana, PBS Technologies and DAI Guyana Inc. were in the small business category. He added that there was also an individual category which saw Steffi-Ann, Elroy Vankennie and Devin Mentis receiving awards.