Stakeholders in occupational health and safety have agreed on the need to take punitive measures on employers who haven’t implemented measures to keep their employees safe and healthy at workplaces.
The decisive move, taken at the first Occupational Health and Safety Conference in Rwanda this October 25, comes after years of stagnated implementation of laws and policy on occupational health and safety which came into effect in Rwanda in 2014.
Officially opening the conference, Patrick Kananga, the Chief Labour and Decent Work Administrator, Ministry of Public Service and Labor said the conference is a step forward to implementing the existing laws, policies and programs which have been in place since 2014 but neglected despite increased development activities in Rwanda.
Some of the participants at the Occupational Health and Safety Conference
“As we navigate an increasingly complex work environment, the responsibility of ensuring safe and healthy workplaces falls heavily on the shoulders of all of us,” Kananga said.
The conference showed that protection from work-related accidents, mental health concerns and health insurance remain the biggest concerns among employees and most of these employers ignore the need to implement.
International Labour Organization (ILO), reports indicate that millions of workers worldwide are affected by work-related injuries and illnesses each year. ILO estimates that more than 2.3 million fatalities occur every year due to occupational accidents and work-related diseases.
It is also estimated that more than 337 million workers sustain injuries and more than 160 million cases of work-related diseases occur- which cost countries 4% of GDP.
Patrick Kananga
Kananga said that Rwanda recognizes the ILO resolve of ensuring health and safety as a basic workplace human right and in the last three decades, adopting its first ever National Occupational Safety and Health Policy and various Laws and Regulations were also established.
Despite these efforts to improve occupational safety and health standards, Kananga revealed that significant challenges remain
For instance, many workers still face hazards that jeopardize their health and well-being. Additionally, certain industries continue to face high rates of accidents and illnesses, highlighting the need for ongoing vigilance and improvement.
“It is crucial that we reinforce our commitment to addressing these issues through enhanced Law enforcement but most importantly, creating occupational safety and health culture to ensure that every worker can return home safely at the end of the day,” Kananga stated.
Sam Butare
Sam Butare, the Managing Director, OHS Works Ltd said that the culture of health and safety at workplaces has not been developed in Rwanda, because many are not aware of the new phenomenon that comes with mushrooming in industry and workplaces.
“The first thing is that people need to be trained, create awareness and then implement the law which is their but silent and has been ignored because of many reasons including lack of enforcement,” Butare said.
According to OHS Works Ltd, the mining sector, construction, industries (especially steel rolling mills and fishing industry) are among the high risk sectors which have witnessed many workplace-related accidents due to lack of measures and knowhow.
Butare stated that the benefits of implementing the laws and policies on occupational health and safety are costing a lot of money (in losses) for investors, the insurance sector and employees thus the need for enforcement will be taken seriously as it has been on the plastic bag ban in Rwanda.
“We need to implement this law just as the law on plastic ban in Rwanda. We have begun this journey and we are not turning back. You implement it or face penalties,” Butare said.
Christine Niyotwambaza Hitimana, the Director General of Surveillance and Preparedness at the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) backed the conference and said that its outcomes and recommendation will be implemented through a public–private partnership (PPP) but also ensure that the Ministry of Environment requires an impact and disaster assessment for every business.
