The importance of promoting occupational safety cannot be over emphasised.
It’s the joy of every family to see their loved ones going to work and earning a living, it becomes a nightmare when the same family member is injured or dies because of work related causes.
Therefore there is great need to protect workers from injuries and illness, as it reduces absenteeism and turnover, increases productivity, profitability, and efficiency.
That also enhances the reputation of the company and saves a lot of costs.
The role of the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) in Zimbabwe is very important.
Most workers and even companies are aware mainly of the Workers Compensation Insurance Fund, but there is more to NSSA as it promotes occupational safety and health in Zimbabwe.
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As an occupational safety and health practitioner and trainer myself, I would encourage every organisation to have an Occupational Safety and Health Department which is led by a qualified expert.
The expert will the help implement the following:
Training and education
Every company in Zimbabwe should have occupational safety and health training programs.
Training and education are essential in preventing workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths.
Training programs help raise awareness of potential hazards and how to avoid them.
Education also teaches on safe work practices and promotes a safety-first culture.
Key training aspects could include regular refresher courses, new employee training, job-specific training and emergency response procedure.
NSSA has the programmes through the Occupational Safety, Health and Environmental Management Course and any company can consult them in tailor-making any occupational safety and health training programme.
Safety policies
Every company should have safety policies that provide a framework for a safe work environment.
As a way of building a safety culture, companies can have a safety manual, which will then incorporate hazard reporting procedures, incident investigation and reporting processes, and disciplinary actions for non-compliance.
PPE
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, the talk around personal protective equipment (PPE) became popular as we had to protect each other from infections.
PPE is critical for protecting employees from workplace hazards.
Companies should identify PPE requirements for each task, provide proper training on PPE usage, ensure PPE maintenance and replacement, and enforce PPE usage policies.
Inspections and audits
The big question to organisational leaders or management is: are there regular inspections and audits that ensure compliance with safety policies in your company?
Have you identified potential hazards and put in place preventative measures?
With the help of NSSA you can help set up an Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) department in your organisation.
Then OSH will help set regular workplace inspections, conduct risk assessments, implement corrective actions and also review and revise safety policies
Benefits of an OSH programme
Companies should not see OSH programmes as an expense, but a benefit.
That will cultivate an occupational safety culture.
When workers and leaders alike work together on OSH we can reduce workplace injuries, deaths and illnesses.
When an employee knows that their safety is insured, morale and productivity is improved.
Besides, any workplace injury could dent the brand or reputation of a company, and the opposite is true; there is enhanced company reputation because of OSH.
In addition, a company saves cost through reduced workers’ compensation claims.
Parting point
Leaders in every organisation must prioritise occupational safety and health. It’s not about profits and forgetting employee safety and health.
As such, leaders and companies must be very intentional in executing occupational safety and health programs.
A well-structured occupational safety and health program is crucial for protecting employees and ensuring a safe and healthy work environment.
By prioritising training and education, safety policies, PPE, and inspections and audits, organisations can mitigate workplace hazards and promote a culture of safety excellence.
- Jonah Nyoni is an author, speaker, and leadership trainer. He can be contacted on X @jonahnyoni. WhatsApp: +263 772 581 918