Work-related deaths continue to increase at alarming rate

There were 959 serious injuries and 30 deaths at work in the first two months of this year, Acting Labour and Social Services Minister Theresa Makone told an occupational safety and health workshop for engineers in Harare today (Wednesday).Officially opening the three-day National Social Security Authority workshop for engineers, Mrs Makone said work-related accidents and deaths continued to rise at an alarming rate, a situation which was unacceptable for a nation with industry operating at below capacity. She said statistics collected over the last five years showed a consistent rise in the number of occupational deaths, injuries and diseases.

"In any economy operating at below half its capacity, the continued upward trend in accidents is unacceptable," she said.

She said in 2008 there had been 3 810 serious injuries, with 65 deaths. In 2009 the situation was only slightly better with 3 122 serious injuries and 64 fatalities. In 2010 the number of serious injuries at work shot up to 4 410 serious injuries, 90 of which were fatal. In 2011 there was a slight reduction to 4 158 serious injuries at work resulting in 75 deaths. Last year the number of serious injuries at work escalated to 5 141 serious injuries, 107 of which resulted in death. The 959 serious injuries and 30 deaths at work in January and February this year is higher than in the same period last year, when there were 821 serious injuries and 17 deaths. There were six cases of pneumoconiosis identified in January and February this year, which is half the total number of such cases recorded in the whole of last year. In 2008 and 2009 there were only two cases recorded in each year but in 2010 the number shot up to 13, the Minister said.  The number rose to 18 in 2011 and came down to 12 last year.

"This disease, which is incurable once it has set in, is caused by the inhalation of hazardous dust at work and is 100 % preventable," Mrs Makone said.

She went on to say that her understanding is that engineering as a discipline is founded on various laws such as Newton's laws of gravity, laws of motion, laws of friction and laws of thermodynamics.

These laws, she said, are simplified into the various standard specifications, codes of practice and guidelines which engineers are required to diligently apply in the world of work for sustainable development. It was unfortunate, she said, that there were many instances of engineers failing to observe these laws, resulting in preventable accidents and loss of life, not to mention damage to equipment and the environment.

"It is my government's position that every worker has a right to decent work; work that promotes life rather than destroying it; work that is fulfilling, safe and rewarding," she said.

It was for this reason, she said, that the government of Zimbabwe with its social partners, who are labour and business, has put structures in place to safeguard the safety and social security of workers in Zimbabwe. She went on to say that Cabinet had approved the principles for the harmonisation of occupational safety and health laws. Bulawayo24

The drafting of the harmonised Occupational Safety and Health Bill, intended to also domesticate all the International Labour Organisation conventions ratified by Zimbabwe to date, will follow. All this is for the improvement of safety and health protection in the workplace.

"Beyond this, the government, NSSA and the Zimbabwe Occupational Safety and Health Council all encourage industry to undertake self-regulation by adopting international occupational safety and health management systems for the good of business and the safety and health of the workforce," she said. Bulawayo24

Are we safe in our work places?