New policy on occupational safety and health formulated

A one-day consultative forum on a new national occupational safety and health policy for all workplaces in the country opened in Koforidua on Monday.

The forum, which sought to solicit the inputs of stakeholders across the country was attended by participants from Greater Accra, Volta and the Eastern Regions.

Opening the forum, the Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Antwi Bosiako- Sekyere, said the rate of industrial accidents and poor attitude of Ghanaians to their safety and health at workplaces was of much concern to the government.

He said productivity would not be increased at workplaces without the contribution of human beings because, no matter the level of technology employed in production, there was always the need for human resource hence the need for occupational safety and health policy at all workplaces.

Mr Bosiako- Sekyere said the current occupational safety and health policy of the country was obsolete and could not deal with the challenges posed by the current technology used in industry in the country.

He said in addition that, legislation on occupational safety and health policies in the country was fragmented, which made its implementation ineffective.

Mr Bosiako Sekyere said the new draft legislation was proposing a one-stop-shop of occupational safety and health administration under a National Occupational Safety and Health Authority, that would have powers and professional capacity to promote occupational safety and health standards at workplaces.

He said the draft policy also proposed the establishment of occupational safety and health committees at all workplaces made up of workers and management staff to promote the culture of occupational safety at workplaces.**