Focussed effort needed for OHS compliance: Bala
The Minister for Employment, Productivity, Industrial Relations, Youth and Sports Parveen Kumar Bala said he would ensure more efforts were focused towards strengthening OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) compliance procedures.
This was after Mr Bala handed two employees of the Vatukoula Gold Mines PLC compensation cheques on Monday for ear injuries suffered during a work site incident involving a dynamite blast in 2018.
Mr Rokoligalevu received a cheque of $27,817.60 and Mr Bogilevu received $17,709.12.
Mr Bala said when the matter was reported to the Ministry, a follow up was done.
“I am happy that they were cooperative and also that the claim has been settled, recipients are happy and back at work,” he said.
He said there were five to six pending similar cases each month.
“We are still getting complaints and there are other cases where we are still negotiating with employers for settlements and we will not stop there we will continue to work towards that so that all employee claims lodged with the ministry are settled.
“That is why we will do roadshows so that we can meet with the complainants. I have told my director OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) that we need to visit all the workplaces because OHS is very important,” he said.
Mr Bogilevu said he was grateful to have finally received his compensation cheque.
“Im happy that it has finally been given, especially since the incident involved me and Iliaseri because usually when dealing with explosives, that results in deaths,” he said.
Iliaseri Rokoligalevu said he considered it a blessing that he and Mr Bogilevu survived.
“It’s a blessing that we did not die because someone hid dynamite in the rock bolk but thank God we survived,” he said.