-Labour Ministry hosts seminar to improve safety
As part of its efforts to foster safe working environments across industries and combat workplace fatalities, the Ministry of Labour’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department yesterday hosted a workshop at the Regency Suites Hotel in Georgetown, to promote safety and health in the construction sector, a Department of Public Information (DPI) release stated yesterday.
The seminar which attracted some 80 participants from the public and private sector, featured presentations on proper safety and health practices tailored to the construction industry. There was also a panel discussion, where recommendations were made to enhance workplace safety by implementing robust safety and health practices.
According to the DPI, the event was organised in response to numerous complaints from workers regarding safety issues in the sector. Over the past four years, there have been 27 fatalities in the construction sector, with six recorded in 2020, five in 2021, five in 2022, seven in 2023, and four in 2024.
Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton, who was a keynote speaker at the event, stressed the importance of prioritising safety and health in all workplaces, calling it a national concern. “…Whether it’s the public or private sector, safety and health is all of our business… It is a national matter and we have to fix it.”
He emphasised the need for continued efforts to reduce workplace fatalities, while noting the ministry’s progress in this area. And while he acknowledged that the construction sector is prone to hazards, he asserted that such risks can be mitigated through proper safety and health measures.
Hamilton told the gathering that any company that employs more than 19 employees is required to have a health and safety committee. He also expressed confidence that stakeholders would leave the seminar equipped with the necessary tools to uphold safety and health standards at their workplaces.
“I would hope that after we finish here today, you would see the [need] to support what we are doing. And that you would see the need to do everything possible to protect yourself, your coworkers, business owners, and our staff.”
Meanwhile, Divisional Director of QHSE and Operational Support at Guyana Power Light (GPL), Gary Hall, described the seminar as timely, bringing stakeholders together to address a critical issue.
OSH Consultant, Gweneth King also delivered remarks at the seminar, the release added.
