Firms urged to prioritise safety

EMPLOYERS and employees should balance the need to enhance production at workplaces with the need to observe health and safety issues, the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) has said.

NSSA’s Manicaland province principal operational safety health inspector Mr Morris Zendera told delegates at a “Zero Strategy” workshop held recently in Mutare that a safe environment at the workplace is naturally beneficial to the economic well-being of firms.

“What most companies have failed to realise is that a safe environment is highly motivational and productive,” he said.

It is believed that there are numerous work-related deaths that are recorded annually by NSSA.

Most companies are accused of compromising standards citing budget constraints.

“Production is regarded as of primary importance in the workplace and management in most cases delegates health and safety issues,” he said.

Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) Manicaland province president Mr Remington Mpande encouraged employers to implement functional operational safety health management systems.

“Training and educating employees in occupational health and safety should be treated by employers as of utmost importance. Efforts should be centred on training and not rehabilitating because when we rehabilitate it means there is something wrong.”

Mr Mpande singled out malfunctioning equipment as the number one culprit in causing accidents at the workplace.

“Most of the injuries we receive are caused by unsafe machinery and equipment.”

He encouraged employers to be cautious when purchasing machinery and to ensure that the purchases are compatible with safety rules and standards.

NSSA chief inspector of factories Mr Shingirai Marunza also noted that companies should have employee safety and health representatives, first aiders and fire protection helpers who receive continous training and education.

“Preparation for emergencies is key to preventing work-related deaths and accidents and there is need for regular emergency and fire protection exercises based on any emergency and rescue,” he said.

Regional manager of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions Mr Tenson Muchefa encouraged companies to create interface platforms at a local level.

“Local clusters are important as they provide a platform for organisations and institutions to deliberate on issues at a local level,” he said.