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Her husband’s death could have been avoided if he had been wearing the appropriate protective gear, which unfortunately, his employer did not provide.
In another incident, a chef at a local hotel, Mr Lazarus Moyo (38) died recently after a faulty stove electrocuted him. He was not the first person to be electrocuted by the stove but sadly he had to be the one to die because his employer did not make an effort to rectify the electrical fault.
His family mourns the death of a father who went to work and never came back home.
Meanwhile, a fitter and turner at a local company died on the spot due to excessive bleeding when a compressor he was working on exploded. The deceased, Mr David Maisokwadzo (age not given) was hit by metal on the chest and face while in the workshop repairing a leaking compressor pipe. It is believed that the accident was caused by negligence after he failed to take precautionary measures before starting to work on the compressor.
All three men were breadwinners with families to take care of and bills to pay but because of the mishaps that took away their lives so suddenly, their spouses and dependants have to face a sad reality.
A reality that would see them carrying all financial burdens and the pain of losing a loved one in accidents that could have been avoided if one person — employer or worker — had been extra careful.
Employers and workers alike have the responsibility to ensure safe working environments. It should not be the employer’s responsibility alone to ensure that this is achieved but workers should also make sure they keep themselves safe.
Although some workers do not necessarily die, they are injured while at work, some permanently while others contract work related diseases such as pneumoconiosis. Pneumoconiosis is an occupational lung disease and a restrictive lung disease caused by the inhalation of dust, often in mines.
Mr Takesure Chinyanga (26), a worker at a local mine, said the safety of workers had improved but a lot still needed to be done to ensure that workers do not die due to mishaps at work.
He said since he started working at the mine, workers had been receiving protective clothing such as helmets and safety shoes but some workers were ignorant and sometimes chose not to use the appropriate protective clothing.
“Sometimes we like to blame our employers but we also have a problem. I do not understand why someone can choose to work without the appropriate gear, putting his or her life at risk.
“Employers like mine are trying to comply with the occupational safety and health regulations but we also have a problem as workers.
“I think workers should also be taught about the importance of occupational safety and health.
“They should know the hazards that come with their jobs and protect themselves against them,” he said.
Mr Chinyanga said no one should die from an accident that could have been avoided.
Because it is so important, a day has been set aside to remind employers and employees of the importance of occupational safety and health, World Occupational Safety and Health Day, which is celebrated on 28 April.
However, Zimbabwe had to postpone its commemorations to Friday last week as it coincided with the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
It is sad to note that even with such initiatives, workers continue to die while at work but the International Labour Organisation (ILO) believes working environments can still be improved especially with the introduction of green jobs, which have come with the introduction of the green economy.
According to ILO global statistics, 337 million work accidents occur every year and work-related diseases affect more than 160 workers every year. Each year there are 2,3 million work-related deaths.
On average, five percent of the workforce is absent from work every day due to sickness or injury. Apparently, work kills more people than war or malaria.
After being injured in an accident at work, a man who could only be identified as Marko is now a quadriplegic.
This is a paralysis that results in the partial or total loss of use of all limbs and the torso. It is caused by damage to the brain or the spinal cord.
The injury, which is known as a lesion, causes victims to lose partial or total function of all four limbs, the arms and the legs, meaning their movements are not that functional.
Marko has since been compensated and fully accepts his condition but he believes his injury could have been avoided if he had been more careful. He fell off a moving truck from which he hung precariously and injured his spinal cord.
“Although it has been a long time since I was injured, I believe I could have been a bit more careful. I accept who I am now but I regret the mistake I made that day because it has changed my life completely.
“I always tell people that sometimes the smallest thing can prevent a lot of harm. If I had just sat safely in that truck, I would be in a different position right now,” he said.
Marko has now turned to art. Although his movements are limited, he can paint and sells his paintings for money.
Ensuring safe and healthy environments is an important responsibility for both employers and employees. Reducing the chances of accidents and disease in work places is not only beneficial for those who work there but for the businesses themselves.
Mrs Dhlamini said life has never been the same since her husband died unexpectedly.
“I used to be a house wife but I had to find a job in order to take care of my family. I was very lucky to have been employed as a secretary at the mine my husband used to work for.
“It is hard to comfort children when they lose someone they love so suddenly. I am glad though that more is being done to ensure occupational safety and health because it is important.
My husband could have been alive if he had a mask to protect him from the gases that killed him,” she said.
Mrs Dhlamini said she has managed to keep afloat although the money she earns is very little.
“Workers out there should make sure they are always safe. They should not take small things for granted. Many injuries, deaths and diseases that are work-related can be avoided,” she said.
All sectors of the country’s economy such as mining, tourism, agriculture or engineering for example should ensure that safe working conditions prevail. Accidents, injuries and diseases that are work-related are no longer peculiar to particular sectors.
In Zimbabwe, the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) has been at the forefront of promoting occupational safety and health and has an Occupational Safety and Health division dedicated to promoting safety and health in the workplaces. It does this through a combination of educational campaigns and factory inspections. There are safety regulations that factory owners have to comply with.
However, complying with the law is a minimal requirement. Laws cannot cover every possibility there is for accidents or ill-health arising out of working environments. That is why there is a need for employees as well to ensure that their working environments are safe.
NSSA director of occupational safety and health, Mr Rodgers Dhliwayo said occupational safety and health (OSH) refers to conditions and factors that affect, or could affect the safety and health of employees or other workers including temporary workers and contractor personnel, visitors or any other person in the workplace.
Mr Dhliwayo said occupational safety alone means freedom from unacceptable risk of harm at work and occupational health means the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of employees, temporary workers, contractor personnel, visitors and any other person in the workplace.
As a field, OSH means the profession of function that is responsible for ensuring the elimination, prevention or management of risks for the physical protection of workers and to some extent business capital equipment from harm.
Mr Dhliwayo said the first approach NSSA has taken towards OSH is the route of education.
“We talk to employers through the Zimbabwe Occupational Safety and Health Council where they are members. We also teach them directly. However, there are those that are recalcitrant.
“These we prosecute when they continue to be defiant. Many whose workplaces have killed or maimed workers have been prosecuted,” he said.
Mr Dhliwayo said work environments could be made safer if top management is interested in OSH.
“They must lead by example and deploy resources for the effective management of OSH. It must be mandatory that all workplaces have a systems approach to managing OSH. Systems predict events and when they do so they must be respected.
“Employers must employ qualified personnel to take charge of OSH delivery and a reward system should be in place to incentivise good OSH performance,” he said.
A review of the safety and health national performance in the last five years reveals that in the year 2007, there were 6 117 serious occupational injuries of which 72 were fatalities. In 2008 there were 3 810 serious injuries with 65 fatalities.
In 2009 there were 3 122 serious accidents and 64 fatalities. In 2010 there were 4 410 serious injuries, 90 of which became fatal. Last year 4 111 serious injuries 75 deaths were recorded.
Mr Dhliwayo said this year has commenced on a very bad note as NSSA had already recorded 1 216 serious occupational injuries with 29 fatalities by the end of March.
Online Reporter