BY BANELE MAGONGO
MBABANE – The Minister for Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi, has stressed the need for a fundamental shift in the nation’s approach to occupational hazards.
Buthelezi said this today during the official launch of the first National Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Policy at Happy Valley Hotel ,Ezulwini.
The minister called for preventative safety and health culture in which the right to a safe and healthy working environment is respected at all levels, where government, employers and workers actively participate in securing a safe and healthy working environment through a system of defined rights, responsibilities and duties, and the principle of prevention was accorded the highest priority.
Buthelezi underscored the pivotal role of the Government, as a responsible member state, in ensuring that a safe and healthy working environment is upheld as a fundamental right and principle in the workplace. He advocated for a wide spread preventative safety and health culture, where this fundamental right is not only acknowledged but resolutely defended by all stakeholders at every level government, employers, and workers.
He emphasized the critical importance of fostering a culture of preventive safety in the workplace, as it is at the heart of protecting the health and well-being of workers and communities alike. He further highlighted the imperative role that government must play in ensuring the safety of its citizens and maintaining decent work standards, both of which are aligned with several Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).
Illustrating the devastating effects of uncontrolled occupational hazards on individuals, families, communities, and the economy, Buthelezi stressed the urgency of adopting a course of action that would prevent accidents, diseases, and injuries at work.
According to the Minister, the adoption and implementation of the Natonal OSH Policy aligns perfectly with the SDGs, in addition to the pillars of the Global Strategy for OSH. He explained that by creating a culture of prevention, the county can expect a dramatic reduction in injuries and accidents, an uptick in employee well-being and productivity, and ultimately, a stronger economy. With this policy in place, the country is now fully compliant with fundamental OSH conventions, edging ever closer to their formal ratification.
