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30th August, 2011
SAFETY AT WORKPLACES
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention stipulates that every working establishment and factories should maintain and create a safety culture as well as best housekeeping practices.
This means that every member of the industry must observe international standards of operations to remain competitive globally.
But the situation as it exists in Ghana today is different, as most factories tend to place profit margin above the safety of their workers.
The management of some of these factories and industrial establishments in the country, are, indeed, exploiting their workers to their advantage, without necessarily providing them with the protective gadgets such as gloves, nose masks and clothing to protect them from either extreme cold or heat.
Besides, these factories lack the requisite fire fighting equipment to deal with fires when they occur.
In some cases where the fire fighting equipment are available, the workers lack the requisite knowledge to manage the equipment because they have not trained about the rudiments of fire-fighting.
A recent survey carried out by a newly constituted taskforce to deal with disasters at workplaces in Accra, revealed that about 95 per cent of factories at the North Industrial Area of Accra are putting the lives of their workers in grave danger as they do not have any safety devices in place to protect them from noise pollution, and hazardous chemicals.
What is more serious is the fact that the factories visited by the taskforce made up of experts from NADMO, Police, Fire Service, EPA and Tourist Board, lack adequate ventilation and exit points in time of emergency.
We believe that similar conditions exist in other factories across the country.
The taskforce, led by Mr Isaac Mensah, the Greater Accra Regional Chief Disaster Control Officer in charge of fires, is mandated to visit factories, industries and public establishments to identify disaster prone areas and recommend appropriate measures to avert any eventuality.
Indeed, the findings of the taskforce during its maiden visits to factories in the North Industrial Area, have brought to the fore, the lack of safety consciousness among management of various establishments in the country.
No wonder, factories and industrial establishments in Accra have in recent times, been witnessing rampant fire outbreaks with serious consequences.
The Times believes that the composition of this taskforce is a step in the right direction and should be given all the needed support to carry out its work.
We suggest that this taskforce should be given the legal backing to prosecute management of organisations who fail to conform to the recommendations regarding the safety of their workers.
We recommend that similar taskforce be established throughout the country to visit industrial establishments and factories to ensure that they conform to safety measures.
The mandate of the taskforce should also be extended to cover homes to minimize the constant domestic fires the nation is witnessing of late.
This means that every member of the industry must observe international standards of operations to remain competitive globally.
But the situation as it exists in Ghana today is different, as most factories tend to place profit margin above the safety of their workers.
The management of some of these factories and industrial establishments in the country, are, indeed, exploiting their workers to their advantage, without necessarily providing them with the protective gadgets such as gloves, nose masks and clothing to protect them from either extreme cold or heat.
Besides, these factories lack the requisite fire fighting equipment to deal with fires when they occur.
In some cases where the fire fighting equipment are available, the workers lack the requisite knowledge to manage the equipment because they have not trained about the rudiments of fire-fighting.
A recent survey carried out by a newly constituted taskforce to deal with disasters at workplaces in Accra, revealed that about 95 per cent of factories at the North Industrial Area of Accra are putting the lives of their workers in grave danger as they do not have any safety devices in place to protect them from noise pollution, and hazardous chemicals.
What is more serious is the fact that the factories visited by the taskforce made up of experts from NADMO, Police, Fire Service, EPA and Tourist Board, lack adequate ventilation and exit points in time of emergency.
We believe that similar conditions exist in other factories across the country.
The taskforce, led by Mr Isaac Mensah, the Greater Accra Regional Chief Disaster Control Officer in charge of fires, is mandated to visit factories, industries and public establishments to identify disaster prone areas and recommend appropriate measures to avert any eventuality.
Indeed, the findings of the taskforce during its maiden visits to factories in the North Industrial Area, have brought to the fore, the lack of safety consciousness among management of various establishments in the country.
No wonder, factories and industrial establishments in Accra have in recent times, been witnessing rampant fire outbreaks with serious consequences.
The Times believes that the composition of this taskforce is a step in the right direction and should be given all the needed support to carry out its work.
We suggest that this taskforce should be given the legal backing to prosecute management of organisations who fail to conform to the recommendations regarding the safety of their workers.
We recommend that similar taskforce be established throughout the country to visit industrial establishments and factories to ensure that they conform to safety measures.
The mandate of the taskforce should also be extended to cover homes to minimize the constant domestic fires the nation is witnessing of late.
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