The Labour Ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department has initiated a formal investigation following a workplace incident that resulted in the death of a Chinese national.
The Zheng Xin Aluminium Alloy Doors and Windows Processing Factory, at Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara
Dead is Eddie Yang, a resident of Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara.
Reports are that the incident occurred at about 23:46h on Saturday, at a storage facility operated by Zheng Xin Aluminium Alloy Doors and Windows Processing Factory, located at Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara.
Initial reports indicated that a large quantity of glass stored in a 40-foot container at the front of the premises unexpectedly collapsed, trapping Yang beneath it. Co-workers at the scene quickly raised an alarm and worked to rescue. Yang, subsequently transporting him to a nearby healthcare facility. He was however pronounced dead upon arrival.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Chapter 99:06 of the Laws of Guyana, the ministry has launched an investigation led by two Occupational Safety and Health Officers.
Meanwhile, Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton, has extended sympathy to the grieving relatives, co-workers, and friends of Yang. He also took the opportunity to remind employers and workers of the importance of adhering to safety and health practices in the workplace to prevent similar incidents that can result in the loss of lives.
In 2024, Guyana witnessed a hike in workplace fatalities when compared to previous years with the Labour Ministry reporting that 32 persons would have lost their lives at their places of employment. In 2020, the Ministry recorded 32 workplace deaths followed by 27 in 2021, 21 in 2022 and 20 in 2023.
