Online Reporter
George Maponga, Masvingo Bureau
GOVERNMENT is pushing for a new Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) law to curb runaway workplace injuries and deaths, with the country recording an annual average of around 300 deaths and 5 000 injuries at workplaces.
The recorded data only includes figures from the formal sector, meaning the figures could be much higher if the informal sector is accounted for.
Out of the average 300 annual workplace deaths in Zimbabwe, 200 of them are from the mining sector while the balance is for all other sectors.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Edgar Moyo, yesterday lamented the high rate of deaths and injuries at workplaces and the need to reverse the trend.
Officially opening the Nssa 2025 Engineers’ Workshop on Occupational Safety and Health, Minister Moyo said a new OSH law was necessary to protect lives and ensure safety.
He highlighted the need to embrace the nexus between technology and OSH and leveraging the former to create higher safety and more productive workplaces in Zimbabwe.
“OSH is not just a regulatory requirement but a fundamental principle and right at work. No worker deserves to be incapacitated or die because of work,” he said.
“Our injury statistics over the past three years have not been pleasing at all and hence we need to do everything possible to significantly cut back such injury statistics.
“In this regard, Government will do everything possible to push for a new OSH law that should help us all as a nation to arrest the needless loss of lives at work, as well as stop the horrendous experiences suffered by injured workers and their families.’’
While statistics of workplace deaths and injuries showed a declining trend, figures remained unacceptably high, said the minister.
He said Government will work closely with social partners to ensure the Convention 187 on the Promotional Framework on OSH, being a fundamental convention, is ratified by the Government, thus underscoring the Government’s commitment and strong desire to reduce significantly occupational accidents, injuries and diseases.
Minister Moyo said the engineers’ workshop was a critical platform for sharing best practices and fostering collaboration and co-operation, among engineers, OSH professionals and innovators.
He challenged engineers to be at the forefront in innovation, in areas such as artificial intelligence, automation and safety devices as these technological facets could revolutionarise approaches to OSH for a more secure worker from hazardous workplace exposures.
Nssa acting general manager, Dr Charles Shava, shared the same sentiments saying high injury and deaths records were not good for the size of Zimbabwe’s economy.
“The average number of workplace deaths, which is about 100 per year in the formal sector is too high and this is for the formal sector, we could be doing better considering the size of our economy,” he said.
“The figures are too high because the 100 deaths annual average excludes the informal sector where many deaths, diseases, accidents and injuries by workers are unreported.”
Dr Shava said Nssa as the regulator has the responsibility to understand what is happening in the mining sector, to assist in curbing the rise in new cases.
He said workplace injuries, accidents, deaths and other mishaps were costing the economy an average of US$15 million annually.
Proceedings at the workshop were dominated by presentations from experts in various areas. Masvingo Town Clerk, Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa, was among the first presenters at conference kick-off with the topic:
“Confined work space operations: Best practices for managing safety and health risks.’’
This year’s workshop is being held under the theme: “Occupational Safety and Health: Technology and the Future for Work.’’
Today, the workshop enters its second day with an industrial tour of Dinson Iron and Steel Company (Disco) in Manhize, Chirumhanzu District.
derick.khumalo