By Juliet Nalwooga
The World day for safety and health at work is today being marked with calls for government to strengthen workplace inspection.
The work place inspection exercise by the ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development is however still stalled with a mainly an analog system that is manned by just 25 inspectors expected to monitor work places across the country.
Engineer Francis Odong the commissioner occupational health and safety at the ministry is however optimistic that the yet to be installed portal of an Occupational Safety and Health Information Management System will help bridge this human resource gap.
He has meanwhile advised employers to provide safe work places as they are mandated under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 2006 to both save live and ensure positive returns.
The annual World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28 April promotes the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
According to the gender ministry, about USD 1 million GDP worth is lost annually as a result of extended absence from work places due to occupational accidents and other diseases involved and globally close to 3 million people die annually in occupational accidents.
The day’s national celebrations are to be held at the Uganda Manufacturers’ Association show grounds Lugogo, under the theme, “Act Together to Build a positive, safe and healthy culture.”
