Trade unions welcome occupational safety bill

Employers and workers’ unions have welcomed the completion of the drafting process for the occupational safety and health (OSH) bill, asserting that the legislation is long overdue.

National Union of Namibian Workers secretary general Job Muniaro says the promulgation and implementation of the OSH bill will not only protect workers, but also enhance work efficiency.

“The document will improve work conditions and equally the relationship between the employer and the employee. It will also bring business efficiency.

“The prevention of accidents and injuries at workplaces will come to an end. If the document is properly implemented and respected by all of us, it will guard against exposure or harmful substances at workplaces,” he says.

Muniaro made this statement at the beginning of a two-day validation workshop for the OSH bill, organised by the Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on Tuesday.

Last year, the former Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation facilitated the development of the bill through stakeholder consultations conducted across the regions.

The OSH bill aims to provide a broader framework to secure a safe and healthy working environment against hazards arising out of activities at the workplace which can lead to accidents and ill health, and to secure efficient national enforcement and compliance mechanisms.

On his part, Victor Hamunyela, who represented the Trade Union Congress of Namibia, welcomed the draft bill, saying health and safety is no longer an issue of only the mining and construction sectors.

Hamunyela, the secretary general of the Namibia Wholesale and Retail Workers Union, stated that he expects the legislation to address challenges in professional occupations as well.

“We have seen how employees in the professional sectors, such as teachers and nurses, are undergoing or suffering as a result of hazards that relate to their work. Teachers are being stabbed with screwdrivers; some schools do not even have fences to prevent any person from entering the school yard, and so forth,” he said.

Namibia Employers Federation (NEF) acting secretary general Helen Ochs said the proposed OSH bill aims to protect employees in the workplace.

“As employers, the NEF fully recognises that a safe and healthy working environment is not only a legal obligation, but a cornerstone of sustainable business, productivity and decent work. Investing in occupational safety and health is not a cost, it is a value driver. It protects our most valuable assets, our workers,” she said.

ILO’s occupational safety and health specialist for Eastern and southern Africa, Peneyambeko Alina Munkawa, commended Namibia for aligning its efforts with international labour standards.

“Adopting policies and enacting labour laws, employment and particularly occupational safety and health, is not a mere fulfilment of the provisions of the international labour standards.

“It reflects how the government, employers and workers recognise the new economic, social and political realities, and the urgency to meet divergent needs while protecting the fundamental rights,” Munkawa stated.

Labour relations deputy acting executive director Aune Mudjanima noted that the validation workshop provides stakeholders with the opportunity to contribute their insights and help shape the bill into a framework that effectively safeguards lives in the workplace.

“Validating this bill is not the end of our journey; it’s the beginning of a new chapter in Namibia OSH history. We must continue to work together, sharing knowledge, resources, and best practices to ensure that the OSH bill is implemented effectively and that the vision of a safe and healthy workplace becomes a reality,” Mudjanima said.

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