Uganda Breweries launches safety week

Employees and employers should ensure safety measures at the workplace to avoid getting accidents which lead to loss of work time.

The call was made by Ronald Miti, the Uganda Breweries safety manager.

Miti said choosing to work safely is the single most important job we all have to do. He was speaking at the launch of the Uganda Breweries Safety Week on Monday.

At the same function Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) celebrated four years of "No Lost Time Accident" (LTA). According to Miti an LTA is a type of accident that causes a member of the workforce to skip work for a day or more to pursue treatment. These kinds of accidents are common place in plants where heavy machinery is operated such as a brewery.

As part of the celebration to mark four years of "No Lost Time Accident", UBL has launched a safety campaign under the theme "I AM WORKING SAFE EVERYDAY". The campaign is aimed at creating awareness, to sensitize and zero down accidents in the workplace.

Miti said the above can only be achieved through the development of a high-performing safety culture and the implementation of world-class safety systems and activities.

The UBL Supply Chain Director, Shane Healy, noted that safety measures are a must for every business that handles machinery, flammable and hazardous materials.

According to section 13 of Uganda's Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2006, it's the obligation of an employer to ensure health, safety and welfare of persons at workplace.

Some of the activities for the safety week will include sensitization on road safety, health living, fire drills, testing of emergency procedure as well as defensive driving.

There will also be health tests such as cancer Screening (PSA, HPV, Breast Cancer) and lung function tests.

According to Miti, some safety wear people who work in factories should have are;

Helmets

Goggles

Gloves

Closed flat shoes

Protective clothing such as overall

Ear plugs if the factory is noisy

People who operate machinery should not wear necklaces because they can get stuck in the machines causing accidents.