By Iddi Yire
Accra, Oct 11, GNA- Mr. Alex Frimpong, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Employers’ Association (GEA) has reiterated the organisation’s commitment to contribute towards the transformation of Ghana’s Occupational, Safety and Health (OSH) landscape that ensures the safety of Ghanaian workers.
The OSH is generally defined as the science of the anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of hazards arising in or from the workplace that could impair the health and well-being of workers, considering the possible impact on the surrounding communities and the general environment.
He noted that workplace accidents and injuries go a long way to harm workers and lead to significant costs for businesses, affecting productivity and diverting resources away from productive endeavors.
Mr. Frimpong made these remarks at the maiden edition of the Association’s two-day Annual OSH Conference which was held on the theme: “Building a Resilient and Safe Workplace: Strategies, Compliance and Innovation.”
He noted that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) at its 110th International Labour Conference (ILC) in 2022, amended the 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work to include the right to a safe and healthy work environment.
He reiterated that this global recognition further underscored the urgency of mainstreaming OSH practices in every workplace.
Mr. Frimpong said: “Following these emerging trends, the GEA, with support from the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), has developed sector-specific OSH Guidelines to help employers integrate safety and health management into their core business operations.”
Mr. Frimpong said the guidelines initially covered the manufacturing, agriculture, and construction sectors, and now extended to include the banking, financial, and hospitality sectors.
He underscored that these guidelines, based on internationally agreed OSH principles were currently serving as a reference tool for employers and a powerful instrument to promote a sustainable safety culture across various industries in the country.
He mentioned that the Conference therefore builds on the foundations laid by these guidelines, saying, it aims to annually convene business and union leaders as well as policy makers and OSH experts, to discuss and act on emerging issues.
“Our general objectives are to promote a culture of safety, foster dialogue on policy and regulation, and showcase innovations in the field of OSH that can mitigate workplace hazards and encourage productivity growth”, he added.
Mr. Joshua Ansah, General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) said “resilience is the backbone of any driving organisation and it is our ability to adapt, recover and grow stronger in the face of challenges.”
He emphasised that to build resilience there was a need to foster a culture of open communication; saying, this openness does not only help to identify potential issues early but also promotes innovative solutions.
Mr. Ansah underscored the need to integrate safety into organizational culture; “and this means regular training, clear safety protocols and the commitment from all levels of the organization to prioritize the well-being of every employee”.
Mr. George Gershon, Chief Inspector of Factories at the Department of Factories Inspectorate (DFI) also stated that health and safety in the workplace must be managed for the benefit of all.
He explained that personal and individual ownership of the health and safety programmes and policies in the workplace help in developing a safety culture and making safety a way of life.
Mr. Gershon added that effective collaboration between stakeholders and the Department would help attain Net Zero Accident Rate in industry.
GNA