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Business Writer
The National Social Security Authority (NSSA) will next week convene an engineers’ workshop to provide a platform for professional interaction in safety and well-being at workplaces.
Running under the theme “Engineering into the Future: Towards Zero Harm”, the workshop will run from March 27 to 29 in Harare.
Stakeholders in the sector such as engineers, artisans, technicians and engineering consultants are expected to deliberate on the advancement of safety in workplaces and foster compliance.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), data shows that the reported occupational fatality rate in the SADC region ranges from 0,85 to 21,6 fatalities per 100 000 workers.
With growth in the informal sector in the region, ILO notes the sector is highly susceptible to occupational injury and mortality rates similar to those found in the formal sector, and higher rates of occupational illness.
Informal sector risks include poor work organisation, poor access to clean water and sanitation, ergonomic hazards, hazardous handtools and exposure to dusts and chemicals.
Mining, transport, forestry and construction are at higher risk in the informal sector.
The NSSA workshop will address all the factors to do with safety and health in the workplace across the entire economy.
As such various regulators, production managers, supervisors, human resources personnel and other related professionals are also expected to share notes at the workshop to help build a safe and secure work environment for all Zimbabweans.
Bongani Ndlovu