Namibian employers urged to provide safe, healthy working environment

WINDHOEK, May 7 — Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation, Hafeni Ndemula on Friday called on all employers in the country to adopt a culture of safety and health to ensure a safe and healthy working environment.
The official, who made the remarks at an event to commemorate World Day for Safety and Health at Work in Windhoek, said it takes a well-structured system to have a safety and health program where accidents and injury rate is close to zero.
Ndemula said the country’s National Occupational Safety and Health Policy has been adopted to develop occupational safety and health preventative culture framework, and minimize accidents and injuries arising from or occurring in the course of work.
“The Occupational Safety and Health Management System allows for systematic identification of hazards and risk, implementation of measures to minimize the risk exposure, effective communication, prevention of accidents,” he said.
He challenged employers to implement occupational safety and health management system to minimize work-related accidents and diseases.
Ndemula said his ministry has appointed a task force to oversee the implementation of the National Occupational Safety and Health Policy.
The International Labour Organization estimates that around 2.9 million workers die every year due to occupational accidents and diseases and at least 402 million people suffer from non-fatal occupational injuries.  (Xinhua)