Agri ministry embarks on fostering safe, healthy work environment

Thirty employees from the Agriculture Ministry on Wednesday embarked on a three-day Joint Workplace Safety and Health Committee Training Programme to ensure the maintenance of a safe and healthy work environment.
Facilitated by the Labour Ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department, this programme aims to train and prepare members of the Committee to carry out their mandate in the workplace, as required by Chapter 99:06 of the OSH Act.
The workshop is being led by the Labour Ministry’s OSH Officers Johana Vaughn and Neza King.

Following its completion, participants are expected to be equipped with the relevant knowledge and skills necessary to design and maintain safe work systems and practices, thereby minimising or eliminating workplace accidents.
This training includes allowing participants to demonstrate an awareness of their roles and responsibilities as Joint Workplace Safety Committee representatives.
In this capacity, participants are expected to conduct workplace inspections and accident investigations, as well as implement techniques to control and/or remove hazards in their own workplaces.
Both the participating employees and employers would receive certification that would be valid for two years.
Later, they will also benefit from Sensitization Awareness from representatives of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and the Guyana Fire Service (GFS).
The Labour Ministry continue to encourage organisations with 20 or more employees to request this training for their workplaces across the country.
In July, the Labour Ministry carried out a similar initiative in Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) where 21 stakeholders received relevant training to enhance their abilities to ensure a safe, healthy workplace.
Hosted at the Mahdia Secondary School’s Smart Classroom, that training session saw the presence of the Labour Ministry’s Senior OSH Officer, Roydon Croal, and Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO), Louis Kilkenny.