There was a time when firefighting, law enforcement and the military were considered the only occupations in which people faced a high probability of dying on the job. Today, the most dangerous jobs are in the construction, manufacturing, agriculture, and mining sectors. The reason? Too many employers treat occupational safety and health like it’s an option, observing its tenets only when they absolutely must and gambling with the good health and lives of their workers in order to keep their profit margins as wide as possible.
According to data from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), globally, some 2.9 million people die every year as a result of industrial accidents or work-related illnesses. This translates to roughly 7,500 lives lost every day. However, this is not evenly distributed across different regions and countries. The accidents mainly involve workers falling from heights, or being struck by an object or vehicle. The illnesses result from exposure to radiation or hazardous substances like asbestos, silica dust, and various chemicals that cause cancers and respiratory diseases. Furthermore, the ILO statistics reveal, there are around 270 million occupational accidents in the world each year; two or three percent of which result in a permanent disability. In many other instances, time off work for recuperation can destabilise and impoverish workers’ families.
Ignominiously, despite all of the advances not only in technology, but in general, industrial deaths and injuries are rising rather than falling. Also disappointing is the fact that to date, only 82 countries have ratified the Occupational Safety and Health Convention of 1981, which, to put it simply, requires employers to take necessary measures to keep workplaces safe, employees to follow all directions to ensure their safety, and governments to enforce such action from both sides. What is rather unfortunate is that horrible working conditions continue to exist in countries that have ratified the convention. Guyana, whose ratification has been in force since September 17, 2012, is one such country.
At the end of November this year, there were 27 deaths caused by incidents in the workplace in this country. By comparison, there had been 21 such deaths for the corresponding period in 2023, indicating an increase of 28.57%. This is according to figures supplied by the Ministry of Labour earlier this month, which also stated that the number of non-fatal incidents had decreased, but did not provide data. Nor did it say how many workers had contracted workplace-related illnesses or sustained life-altering injuries.
In mid-January, Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton and high-ranking employees in his ministry, including the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department, held a meeting with stakeholders in the construction sector to discuss OSH in that sector. Weeks later, on February 4, Lennox McPherson, an excavator operator employed by Guyana Shield Resources Incorporated died after he was pinned by his equipment at a sandpit at Dora, East Bank Demerara (EBD). Before a full week had passed, Venezuelan Rusbel Jesus Rengel Azocar, an OSH officer with Gas Total Solution Inc, died at the Vreed-en-Hoop Shorebase Inc (VEHSI) artificial island project in Region Three, on February 10. He had been attempting to place a barrier around a hole with water when he fell in and apparently drowned. He was not wearing his life jacket as mandated.
A month later, on March 13, Ravichandra Seemangal, who was employed by Pritipaul Singh Investments, died after a telehoist machine collided with him at his Providence EBD worksite.
On April 12, OSH officers inspected multiple construction sites in the city where they observed breaches against the Occupational Safety and Health Act. They gave the defaulters one month to correct those breaches.
On May 5, Chinese Zheng Shun Liu was crushed to death when a wall fell on him as he was constructing a septic tank at L&P Construction worksite at the Eccles Industrial Area, EBD. On May 17, Bryan Hardial, who was employed by Unitech Awning and Shutter Manufacturers, was electrocuted while installing gutters on a building under construction at Norton Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown. He was not wearing any protective gear.
On June 5, sluice operator Leevorn Stanford McGarrell died at his Springhall sluice worksite at Farm/Woodlands, West Mahaicony, ECD. He had been somehow crushed under the sluice counterweight, a three-tonne boulder.
On July 16, construction worker Christopher Paul Fernandes died at his Land of Canaan, EBD worksite. The OSH Department said it was investigating in conjunction with the police, but did not provide further details.
On August 15, Imran Blake and Sherwayne Joseph, died in a mining pit collapse while working on an unregistered land dredge at Mahdia, Region Eight.
On September 20, construction worker Jermaine Hercules was repairing the roof of A Cayume Hakh & Sons rice mill at Cane Grove, ECD, when he fell 30 feet to the ground and subsequently died.
On October 12, Patrick Picket, a serviceman at Top Mix Cement, sustained fatal injuries while servicing a 14-tonne ready-mix concrete truck. On October 13, Security Supervisor Marlon Davidson of Hopkinson’s Security lost control of the All-Terrain Vehicle he was driving along Sand Hill Trail and died. On October 16, an unnamed worker reportedly drowned in Region Eight.
Those were just some of the deaths recorded. Among those seriously injured in workplace incidents were Sukra Harrygobin, Farad Uddin, and Anthony Ramlochan in an explosion at Hakh Rice Mill, Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice in March. Then in May, there was an unnamed worker who came into contact with a crane at the VEHSI site and Electrical Technician Neil McGarrell of JJ’s Electrical Contracting Services who was burned while conducting voltage tests on an electrical panel.
In each of the cases, the Ministry of Labour issued press releases with the expected placatory language. If it held any company responsible and ordered penalties, the nation is yet to hear about them. Minister Hamilton had claimed that current sanctions were inadequate and the legislation was to be amended. That is all well and good, but even deficient penalties should be enforced in the meantime. OSH officers have to act rather than continue to issue warnings at defective job sites. Further, the entire government should embrace proper OSH when awarding contracts. A good motto would be: no OSH compliance, no contract. It should also not allow companies with blemished records to bid until after a period of penance, maybe a year. Occupational safety and health is a basic human right that must be observed. Considering that one accident can destroy a life and/or a lifetime of career opportunities, earnings potential and general well-being, compliance is crucial. Employers have to be made aware that governments mean business.