NEW ILO INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, HEALTH IN CARIBBEAN
17 febrero 2011
Fuente: Published by Jamaica Observer, Jamaica
Fuente: Published by Jamaica Observer, Jamaica
Port of Spain, February 17- The International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for the Caribbean says it has initiated a programme to support regional governments, employers and workers' organisations in their efforts to improve occupational safety and health as well as to contribute to environmental sustainability.
The Trinidad-based ILO office said that the one-year Regional Occupational Safety and Health and Environmental (OSHE) programme had been developed by a team of resource persons, drawn from across the Caribbean.
It said that the programme was formulated based on a needs assessment involving several Caribbean countries in 2009.
"The programme will target CARICOM countries and will draw on the expertise available both within and outside the region. Among the priorities of the programme are the establishment of a Caribbean Network of OSH Experts to facilitate further South-South cooperation; the development of advocacy and awareness-raising strategies to improve OSHE practices and promote a culture of safety," the ILO office said.
It said that the programme will also include the development of a website on OSHE in the Caribbean; training programmes for labour inspectors, including in the use of industrial hygiene kits, as well as training programmes for employers and workers.
"By utilizing OSH expertise from across the region and building capacity among key stakeholders, the programme will ensure the requisite sustainability," the ILO said.
It noted that the nexus between OSH and the environment is a key aspect to be highlighted under the OSHE "given the effects of climate change on key sectors of Caribbean economies, such as tourism, fisheries and agriculture and the consequences of production and waste disposal processes for the health of workers, the environment and the sustainability of enterprises".
A module on the workplace response to HIV/AIDS will be integrated in all OSH training and the programme will also address issues such as the CARICOM Model Law on Occupational Safety and Health and the Working Environment.
