Ministry’s blog to boost occupational health, safety

The Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security and the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH) have launched a weblog to push awareness of occupational safety and health in Guyana.

NACOSH Chairman Dale Beresford said employers, employees and other organisations will find the blog, located at www.nacoshguyana.wordpress.com  to be both informative and interactive. According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release Beresford said NACOSH and the ministry will post information and educational materials on the blog and visitors can ask questions, lodge complaints and receive answers.

Beresford encouraged government agencies, trade unions, members of the private sector, non-governmental agencies and other social partners to implement SOLVE; the interactive educational programme designed to assist in developing policy and action on psychosocial issues at the workplace. He noted that stress, alcohol and drug abuse, violence, HIV/AIDS and tobacco use all lead to health-related problems for the worker and lower productivity for the organisation.

Together these are the leading causes of accidents, fatal injuries, disease and absenteeism at work in both industrialized and developing countries. Beresford said SOLVE focuses on prevention in translating concepts into policies and policies into action at the national and enterprise levels.