Towards a Safe and Healthy Workplace: A Call to Action

When humanity defied God, God expressed his displeasure by cursing "the ground," warning that people would have to toil for their food for the rest of their lives. “You will consume the plants from the field, and it will generate thorns and thistles for you (Genesis 3).” But did God intend for men and women to go to work just to get sick or injured? Do the unguarded machines, the unprotected edges on tall buildings and towers, and the lengthy workdays, to name a few, represent the thorns and thistles of the Bible? NO, is the response. God created humans to tend the garden, adorn it, and engage in safe employment and economic activity. Men and women must therefore work to provide for themselves. However, this has a price in terms of lives lost, disabilities, illnesses, and loss of property, among other things. So who is responsible for restoring order to the world? It's God! God, yes! But how does he carry out this duty? Through the collaboration of you and me!

The legal framework.

The Constitution of The Republic of Uganda, 1995, which is the supreme legislation of the land, provides for the right to a safe and healthy workplace. Furthermore, the International Labor Organization recently declared a safe and healthy workplace to be a fundamental principle and human right at work. However, the protection and promotion of each person's inalienable right to a safe and healthy workplace is everyone's duty as provided for in the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2006. Therefore, the most important question as we commemorate the 2023 World Day for Safety and Health at Work should be, "How Can I Contribute?"

Understanding your role.

As an employer, you MUST ensure that your workplace is free from any risks. However, this is only a perfect scenario if you, the employee, assume full responsibility for your health and safety at work. Who then bears greater responsibility? Who you ask will determine the response, I bet! Everybody believes it to be the other. The aforementioned argument can be mitigated by civil society organizations raising public awareness of the value of having a safe and healthy working environment, advocating for reforms to the current legal system, and educating the general public about the necessity of creating a safe and healthy working environment. The Government, and particularly, the executive arm should point their guns towards violators of the now ‘inherent’ rights to a safe and healthy workplace through stringent enforcement of the law. The judiciary, through the Labor Office and the Industrial Court, should expedite labor disputes at all times and waive any technicalities hindering the administration of justice to victims of violations of the now “inherent” rights to a safe and healthy workplace. Lastly, the legislative arm of Government should act within its Constitutional mandate to legislate, with priority, on pertinent issues affecting workers’ safety and health.

The 2023 call to action.

The last call to action is that this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work serves as a reminder that creating a safe and healthy working environment is a collective effort that involves the participation of all stakeholders rather than just an individual duty. Please act now! Cultivate the garden, dress it, work, and earn a living, BUT SAFELY!

Author:

Edison Arinaitwe

Health and Safety Professional

Co-Founder - Gonjoola Uganda

Member - Safety and Health Association of Uganda (SHAU)

Email - [email protected]