By Alois Vinga
NATIONAL Social Security Authority (NSSA) has conferred certificates to 133 officers drawn from the country’s economic sectors after their completion of the Occupation Safety and Health Environment Management course (OSHEMAC).
Speaking at an event held to honour theSafety and Health officers Friday morning, NSSA Acting Chief Occupational Safety and Health Benjamin Mtetwa said the authority will remain determined in equipping industry with relevant skills to maximise on safety.
“The course you have just competed is a rich program covering all aspects of safety, boiler safety, environmental management to mention just a few. The course has equipped you with knowledge and skills on the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases through the processes of hazard identification, risk assessment and strategies,” he said.
The NSSA boss bemoaned the continuedrise in work related accidents in the country saying that by October this year 4 782 accidents had been registered in the country resulting in a corresponding death rate of six lives per month.
On the contrary, he said, the levels of industry’s preparedness in dealing with these fatalities was very low.
“Review for the country has shown that the average performance has persistently been lower than 20 percent for thepast few years. Knowledge and practice of OSH is unacceptably very low in our industry and this assessment is causing the accidents and fatalities mentioned earlier,” Mtetwa said.
He added that the prevailing economic challenges make it difficult for health and safety concerns to receive required financial support, thereby putting the lives of workers at risk.
NSSA is the statutory corporate body tasked by the Government to provide social security.
The provision of social security can bedefined as instituting public policy measures intended to protect an individual in life situations or conditions in which livelihood and wellbeing may be threatened, such as those engendered bysickness, workplace injuries, unemployment, invalidity, old age, retirement and death.
