Employers asked to maintain occupational safety and health standards

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Gender, Labour and Social Development Ministry, has called upon all employers in the country to promote occupational safety and health of their employees to avoid disease associated with poor conditions.

The call came during the fourth occupational safety and health marathon held on Sunday. The marathon was the first of many activities that are scheduled to take place to mark this year’s Occupational Safety and Health celebrations.

Peace Mutuuzo, the Minister of Culture and Family Affairs in the Gender, Labour and Social Development Ministry flagged off the runners and walkers with the call to all employees to maintain proper occupational safety and health standards to reduce on the number of health conditions affecting many Ugandans resulting from poor working conditions.

The minister implored all organizations to come up with activities to engage members of staff, saying this will reduce the number of illnesses that affect their employees at the end of the day.

According to Mutuuzo, 18 percent of the deaths that occur in the country are as a result of poor occupational safety and health conditions at work places. 2016 data from the Mundi Index shows that 10.2 deaths occur per 1,000 people in Uganda on average. Common occupational diseases include;  musculoskeletal disorders, circulatory diseases, mental illnesses like stress, cancers, skins diseases and diseases caused by exposure to biological agents.

Mutuuzo says currently, hundreds of Ugandans across the country do not wear the right kind protective gear in the course of their work while others abuse them. “So many miners in this country are not equipped with the right clothing to carry out their work. Even in some health facilities official who are meant to be dressed in white coats carry out their work in plain clothes. This is not right.”

Mutuuzo says that occupational safety and health is a very big problem in the country that is often ignored by both employees and employers.

According to the World Health Organisation and the International Labor Organization, 2.3 million people die globally due to deaths related to unsafe working environments. In middle income states like Uganda, it is estimated that unsafe working conditions contribute to 6 percent of all cancer related deaths and 15 percent of circulatory diseases like ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke plus heart diseases.

David Mugisa, the Commissioner Occupational Safety and Health Department, says employees need to speak out and demand for safe and better working conditions.

The ministry of gender is scheduled to carry out site visits at different companies this week starting from Wednesday to Friday. A total of 1500 employees from 35 different companies took part in today’s marathon.

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