Guyana: Global Edge Employees empowered with Comprehensive Workplace Safety

Georgetown, Guyana: Sixteen employees of Global Edge Guyana on the Joint Workplace and Health Committee (JWHC) benefitted from a three-day Joint Workplace Safety and National Insurance Scheme (NIS) Training Programme through the Ministry of Labour’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department, the update by the Ministry of Labour informed the general public of the country.

According to the update, the programme aimed to train members of the Joint Workplace Safety and Health Committee and prepare them to carry out their mandate in the workplace, as required by Chapter 99:06 of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act.

Furthermore, it was informed that it also seeks to provide representatives with the knowledge and skills necessary to establish and manage safe work systems and techniques, thereby minimizing or eliminating workplace accidents. This would then allow participants to demonstrate an understanding of their roles and responsibilities as Joint Workplace Safety Committee representatives.

Once completed, participants can also undertake workplace inspections, accident investigations, and adopt methods to control and/or eliminate hazards in their own workplaces. This includes the participants and the workplace receiving certification that would be valid for two years.

In addition to this, the workplace would also allow them an opportunity to be educated on the significance of paying NIS contributions and the legal duty to report all workplace accidents/incidents to NIS.

In the end, it outlined that Neza King, Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Officer attached to the Ministry of Labour facilitated this training.