By Emma Kakololo
WINDHOEK
Government yesterday finally launched the long-awaited Occupational Health Policy (OHP) that would see that all employers provide a safe working environment for their employees.
The policy also engrosses risk assessment of workplace hazards and control of such hazards as far as practically possible.
In addition, employers would be tasked with the responsibility to provide employees with training and education on risk mitigation to ensure workplace safety.
Recent data on occupational injuries indicate that the rate of such injuries was high in the private sector compared to the public sector.
According to the statistics provided by the Social Security Commission (SSC) in 2004, ten fatal injuries were recorded in the private sector compared to five in the public sector.
During the same period, the welfare institution processed a total of 5 241 occupational health-related claims for the private sector at a cost of N$5.6 million whereas the public sector had 712 claims amounting to N$1.5 million.
Officially launching the policy, the Health Minister Dr Richard Nchabi Kamwi said based on the high number of injuries, there was an urgent need to strengthen Occupational Health Services (OHS) at national, regional and district levels in all the sectors, hence the launch of such a policy.
He said for Vision 2030 to succeed a healthy workshop was a prerequisite.
“The national prosperity depends fundamentally on health and effective workforce.
“A safe and healthy workplace leads ultimately to a highly productive, effective and efficient work environment and thus a measure of success to the country’s economic growth and stability,” he said.
He said although it was the government’s legal obligation and prerogative to monitor, control and support the implementation of the Regulations Related to Health & Safety of Employees at Work, no regulatory policy could be implemented effectively without appropriate infrastructures for inspection on the one hand, and for services on the other.
“The ultimate practical implementation of an occupational health policy takes place at the level of the individual workplace.”
The OHP is based on the “Regulations Relating to Health and Safety of Employees at Work” made under the Labour Act 6 of 1992 read with the Labour Act 2004 as amended.
The country would also have to report to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the progress it is making with regard to the implementation of the policy.
The next report is due in 2008.
Speaking at the launch, WHO Representative Dr Custodia Mandlate pledged her organisation’s support for the successful implementation of the policy.
“Our support will not stop at this launch today. WHO will continue to provide its technical support in implementation of strategies and priority areas as identified in the policy document,” she said.
Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare (MLSW) Petrus Iilonga said one way to ensure the successful implementation of the policy was to make sure that companies adhered to health and safety regulations for them to be registered.
Both the MLSW, Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Ministry of Health and Social Services have been tasked with the implementation of the policy.