“Safety performance in almost all the sectors of the economy remains my ministry’s heartache. In an economy operating at below half of its capacity, the continued upward trend in accident statistics is unacceptable,” said Acting Labor and Social Services Minister Theresa Makone.
“The nation cannot sustain economic growth when workers are sick, hungry, angry or suffering from stress,” Makone, who was guest speaker, added.
She said this year’s theme resonates well with the national agenda of trying to turn the economy around through the participation of all stakeholders.
“It is imperative to note that the improvement of safety and health performance at work is quite pertinent not only in human terms through the reduction of workers’ deaths, diseases, pain and suffering but also as a way of ensuring that businesses are successful, sustainable and profitable," said Makone, who is also the Home Affairs Co-minister.
This year, the three-day conference is running under the theme “Occupational Safety and Health: An Investment for Sustainable Economic Growth.”
According to the Zimbabwe Occupational Health and Safety Council, Zimbabwe recorded a total of 2,605 serious accidents with 50 seriously fatalities as at August 2011.
The figure, however, rose to 3,258 accidents and 63 fatalities this year under the same period of review.
The International Labor Organization estimates that two million people die each year worldwide as a result of occupational accidents and work-related illnesses and injuries.
Another 268 million non-fatal workplace accidents happen and result in an average of three lost work days per casualty, per year.
The conference, which is run annually by the National Social Security Authority and Zimbabwe Occupational Health and Safety Council, is being attended by representatives of various organizations that include ILO, Employers’ Confederation of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe Confederation of Trade Unions.
This year’s National Conference on Safety and Health at Work is expected to come up with interventions to arrest the deterioration in occupational health and safety performance standards.
Post published in: News