THE GUEST OF HONOUR MINISTER OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL
SECURITY HON BRENDA MWIKA TAMBATAMBA MP,
THE PRESIDENT OF THE ZAMBIA CONGRESS OF TRADE
UNIONS MR. BLAKE MULALA,
THE ILO COUNTRY DIRECTOR FOR ZAMBIA AND MALAWI
AND SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO COMESA MR.
WELLINGTON CHIBEBE,
SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PRESENT,
CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY PRESENT,
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS,
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
IT IS PLEASING FOR ME TO BE AMONG THE SPEAKERS AT THIS
EVENT WHICH IS THE COMMEMORATION OF THE WORLD DAY ON
SAFETY AND HEALTH AT THE WORK PLACE. AS ZAMBIA JOINS THE
REST OF THE WORLD IN THIS COMMEMORATION UNDER THE
THEME “ GOOD PSYCHOSOCIAL WORKING ENVIRONMENTS” WE
SHOULD REMIND EACH OTHER ON HOW WE HAVE CONDUCTED
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OUR BUSINESSES IN REGARDS TO WHETHER BOTH PRIVATE AND
PUBLIC SECTOR WORKPLACES HAVE PROVIDED A SAFE WORK
PLACE OVER THE YEARS OR NOT. THE ANSWER OF COURSE WILL
DEPEND ON LOOKING AT THE STATISTICS OF RECORDED
OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS IN THE DIFFERENT COMPANIES IN
DIFFERENT SECTORS IN THE COUNTRY.
WORKPLACE SAFETY IS A CRITICAL ISSUE THAT AFFECTS THE
HEALTH, WELL-BEING, AND PRODUCTIVITY OF EMPLOYEES AS A
SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT IS ESSENTIAL FOR PROTECTING
EMPLOYEES FROM ACCIDENTS, INJURIES, AND HEALTH HAZARDS,
AND FOR PROMOTING A POSITIVE AND PRODUCTIVE
WORKPLACE. IT IS IMPORTANT THEREFORE, THAT COMPANIES
AND PUBLIC SECTOR AS PROVIDERS OF EMPLOYMENT MUST PUT
IN PLACE EFFECTIVE WORKPLACE SAFETY PROGRAMS AND
WHERE POSSIBLE EVEN USE SAFETY MANAGEMENT
SOFTWARE DESIGNED TO HELP EMPLOYERS CREATE AND
MAINTAIN A SAFE AND HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT. IT IS OUR
CONVICTION AS EMPLOYERS THAT A SAFE WORKPLACE CAN
RESULT IN LOWER COSTS, INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY, AND A
BETTER REPUTATION FOR COMPANIES AND ANY ORGANISATIONS
THAT ARE REFERRED TO AS WORKPLACES. A SAFE WORKPLACE
MUST BE SUPPORTED BY PROPERLY TRAINING EMPLOYEES ON
HOW TO PERFORM THEIR JOBS SAFELY AND HOW TO USE
EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS CORRECTLY. COMPANIES THAT ARE
INVOLVED IN HEAVY EQUIPMENT IN THEIR PRODUCTION CYCLE
MUST ENSURE THAT THESE EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS ARE
REGULARLY MAINTAINED AND CHECKED TO ENSURE THAT THEY
ARE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER EVERY MOMENT.
ALSO ESSENTIAL FOR A SAFE AND HEALTH WORK ENVIRONMENT
ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WHERE EMPLOYEES WORK WITH HEAVY
MACHINERY OR PERFORM TASKS THAT REQUIRE PRECISION IS
PROPER LIGHTING.
COMING TO THE THEME OF THIS YEAR, THE SUBJECT OF
PSYCHOSOCIAL WORK ENVIRONMENT HAS BEEN RESEARCHED
ON BY A NUMBER OF RESEARCHERS IN THE SENSE THAT
RESEARCH HAS FOCUSED ON WHETHER OR NOT WORKERS FEEL
TREATED FAIRLY AND RESPECTED AND ON THE EMOTIONAL
EFFECTS OF WORK TASKS, PROCEDURES, OR BEHAVIORS BY
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SUPERVISORS, COLLEAGUES, CLIENTS AND CUSTOMERS.
CONCLUSIONS MADE HAVE OUTLINED PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS
INCLUDING ASPECTS OF THE JOB AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
SUCH AS ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE OR CULTURE, WORK ROLES,
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK, AND THE DESIGN
AND CONTENT OF TASKS THE CONCEPT OF PSYCHOSOCIAL
FACTORS EXTENDS ALSO TO THE EXTRA-ORGANIZATIONAL
ENVIRONMENT AND ASPECTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL (EG,
PERSONALITY AND ATTITUDES), WHICH MAY INFLUENCE THE
DEVELOPMENT OF STRESS AT WORK. BUT THE TERM HAS ALSO
BEEN EXTENDED TO EXAMINE HOW THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES
EXPERIENCES AND RESPONDS TO HIS OR HER SURROUNDINGS
AND THUS THE INDIVIDUAL ALSO BECOMES THE FOCUS IN TERMS
OF HIS ROLES IN OBSERVING AND CONTRIBUTING TO SAFETY AND
HEALTH ISSUES AT WORKPLACE.
THIS YEAR’S THEME THEREFORE, CALLS ON BOTH COMPANIES
AND EMPLOYEES TO PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN UPHOLDING THE
SAFETY ETHOS. WHILE COMPANIES HAVE A CRITICAL
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE A SAFE WORKING PLACE, WE CALL
ON EVERY EMPLOYEE IN EVERY WORKPLACE TO BE VIGILANCE,
AND ADHERENCE TO SAFETY POLICIES AND TO ENSURE THAT
THEORETICAL SAFETY POLICIES TRANSLATE INTO PRACTICAL
SAFETY MEASURES. WORKERS MUST WAKE UP AND ACT ON
FULFILLING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES, SUCH AS REPORTING
HAZARDS, WEARING APPROPRIATE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT,
AND PARTICIPATING IN WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH
TRAINING. AS EMPLOYERS WE CALL ON EMPLOYEES TO ACT AS
THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST POTENTIAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH RISKS AT THE WORKPLACE.
WE BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT A PROACTIVE BEHAVIOUR BY
EMPLOYEES IN ANY COMPANY WILL SAFEGUARD THEIR OWN
WELL-BEING AND THAT OF THEIR COLLEAGUES, CREATING A
COLLABORATIVE AND TRUST-FILLED ENVIRONMENT. IN ESSENCE,
WHILE ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR
WORKPLACE SAFETY, IT’S THE COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY OF
THE EMPLOYEES THAT TRULY ENSURES A SAFE AND HEALTHY
WORKING ENVIRONMENT.
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TO SUM UP, AND TO CONCLUDE WITH OUR STATEMENT,
EMPLOYEES ARE CRUCIAL IN ENSURING WORKPLACE HEALTH
AND SAFETY. WE THEREFORE EMPHASISE ON THE
INTERDEPENDENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS
AND THE ORGANIZATION’S WELL-BEING. EMPLOYEES MUST BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR FOLLOWING ESTABLISHED SAFETY
PROCEDURES AND PROMOTING A SAFETY-CONSCIOUS CULTURE
AMONG COLLEAGUES. BY DOING SO, THEY WILL CONTRIBUTE TO
SAFEGUARDING PERSONAL AND COLLECTIVE HEALTH. WHILE
ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE SAFETY GUIDELINES, EMPLOYEES’
CONSISTENT INVOLVEMENT AND VIGILANT ACTIONS BRING
THESE PROTOCOLS TO LIFE, RESULTING IN A THRIVING,
PRODUCTIVE, AND SAFE WORKPLACE FOR EVERYONE.
THEREFORE AS EMPLOYERS WE CALL ON OUR WORKERS TO DO
THE FOLLOWING TEN ACTIVITIES IN LINE WITH BEING VIGILANT
WITH SAFETY MEASURES:
FOLLOW SAFETY PROCEDURES,
USE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT,
REPORT HAZARDS
AVOID ALCOHOL AND DRUG CONSUMPTION WHILE AT WORK
ATTEND SAFETY AND HEALTH TRAINING
REPORT INCIDENTS
STAY INFORMED
KEEP WORKPLACE CLEAN
COOPERATE WITH SUPERVISORS AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST
PROMOTE SAFETY.
I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.