The Minister of Labour and Social Services and the then Patron of the Zimbabwe Institute Occupational Safety and Health (ZIOSH)’s Address at the ZIOSH’s official Launch: 20 August 2010, Meikles Hotel, Harare.
Master of Ceremony,
The Permanent Secretary - Ministry Labour and Social Services Mr LC Museka
The President of the Zimbabwe Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Mr AKB Chigwada
The Executive Director of EMCOZ
The Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions Mr W Chibhebhe
The Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions Mr Shamuyarira
The Director ILO Sub-Regional Office
The Director African Regional Labour Administration Centre (ARLAC)
The General Manager of National Social Security Authority (NSSA) Mr JM Matiza
Director – OSH National Social Security Authority (NSSA) Mr R Dhliwayo
The Managing Director of British American Tobacco, Mr LT Manatsa
ZIOSH Executive Committee Members
Distinguished participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am indeed greatly honoured to address this august gathering where we witness this great event in which the Zimbabwe Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (ZIOSH) is officially launched to the public.
Master of Ceremony, this event marks a significant milestone in our effort to promote the prevention of occupational accidents, injuries, death and diseases at the workplace. This event should set the stage for the capacity of ZIOSH to be strengthened as well as strategically position the Institute for future growth.
The objectives of the Institute include among others to;
- Promote, encourage and improve high standards of occupational safety and health at work.
- Facilitate the exchange and sharing of information on occupational safety and health prevention strategies as well as provide a platform for effective networking.
- Promote, maintain and improve the professional interests and status of members of the Institute
- Provide OSH training with a view to strengthen skills and competences of OSH practitioners in occupational accident prevention.
Government is highly committed to address issues concerning safety and health at work. Hence, in this regard, government has ratified 6 major International Labour Conventions on occupational safety and health at work, namely;
Convention No 155 on Occupational Safety and Health (1981)
Convention No 161 on Occupational Health Services (1985)
Convention No 162 on Safety in the Use of Asbestos (1986)
Convention No 170 on Safety in the Use of Chemicals at Work (1991)
Convention No 174 on Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents (1993)
Convention No 176 on Safety and Health in Mines
What this means is that as a nation we need to comply with the provisions of these international standards which provide the basis and guidance for the protection of our peoples’ safety and health in work environments. These international OSH instruments set a good basis for best practices in OSH administration and management. However the level of understanding and extent of implementation of the provision of these conventions at our workplaces is quite minimal. Therefore ZIOSH should augment the regulatory authorities’ efforts by promoting widely the implementation of such conventions at our workplaces.
Master of ceremony, I wish to take this opportunity to remind participants today that, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Action Plan 2003 defined one of the fundamental pillars of the global OSH Strategy as the establishment and maintenance of a national preventive safety and health culture and the introduction of a systems approach to occupational safety and health management. Government fully subscribes to the systems approach towards OSH management as such an approach, if fully implemented will significantly reduce and/or eliminate occupational injuries, diseases and fatalities at the workplace. In this regard I wish to remind and urge all OSH practitioners here today to fully support any effort towards the implementation of occupational safety and health management systems, which systems is now fully enshrined in the adopted ILO Convention 187 on the Promotional Framework for OSH in 2006. ZIOSH has come at the opportune moment as it should lobby industry and be a strong voice in promoting widely and vigorously the implementation of such systems at workplaces in order to realize hazard free work environments.
I would like to therefore challenge you as OSH practitioners to take a leading role in promoting excellence in OSH practice and contribute towards the reduction of accidents, injuries, death and illness due to work. As OSH practitioners, it is your role to come up with recommendations on what should be legislated as well as contribute effectively to national OSH strategic initiatives so as to give impetus to a culture of accident prevention at work. As government we remain open to suggestions and recommendations on whatever strategies and practices which the country should adopt and implement in order to create hazard free work environments in Zimbabwe.
I wish to take this opportunity to commend you for coming together as OSH professionals in Zimbabwe and forming this august professional body which is just about 3 months old. You are still quite young, but I see you growing and establishing yourself to be a force to reckon with, a force which will assert itself in the area of OSH and a voice for OSH practitioners in Zimbabwe.
In conclusion, I wish you success and progress as you start to grow, nurtured and be an entity ready to be listened to by the Zimbabwe public.
It is therefore my singular honour as the First Patron of this newly formed OSH Institute to declare this seminar officially opened and at the same time proudly launch the Zimbabwe Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (ZIOSH).
I thank you.
ZIMBABWE INSTITUTE OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH
