Trade unions welcome occupational safety bill

Employers and workers’ unions have welcomed the completion of the drafting process of the occupational safety and health (OSH) bill, saying 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.

“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 to harmful substances at workplaces,” he says.

Muniaro said this 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 regional stakeholder consultations.

The OSH bill aims to provide a broader framework to promote a safe and healthy working environment.

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

Hamunyela said 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 work-related hazards.

Teachers are being stabbed with screwdrivers, some schools do not even have fences to prevent anyone from entering the schoolyard, and so forth,” he said.

Namibian 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 occupational safety and health specialist for eastern and southern Africa Peneyambeko Munkawa commended Namibia for aligning its efforts with international labour standards.

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

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