65% work places lack occupational licence, face penalty

By Alfred Wandera

OVER 1.3 million work premises across the country are to be closed and their owners prosecuted over non-compliance with minimum required occupational safety and health standards, state minister for labour and industrial relations, Kamanda Bataringaya, has said.

The 1.3 million premises represent 65% of both public and private premises that do not meet the minimum occupational safety and health standards.

“You may recall that this year, we have registered a number of fatal accidents in various workplaces where workers have lost lives and properties worth billions of shillings destroyed. This is unacceptable and we must prevent accidents and illnesses at workplaces,” said Bataringaya on Tuesday at the celebrations to commemorate the world day for Safety and Health at Work at KCCA Railways Gardens in Kampala.

Under the theme “Join in building a culture of prevention on occupational safety and health”, the celebrations that were marked by a procession from the ministry headquarters to the gardens .

According to the minister, working conditions in Uganda are characterized by poor work methods, processes and procedures; long working hours; poor job safety design; little or no knowledge of awareness of occupational safety and health laws, standards and obligations of employers and employees.

Bataringaya added that these are exacerbated by the majority of workers being illiterate and semi-skilled.

“The suffering caused by accidents and illnesses to workers and their families is incalculable. In economic terms, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has estimated that 4% of the world’s annual GDP is lost as a consequence of occupational diseases and accidents. If Uganda with a GDP of $25b was to apply this statistical figure, it would mean that Uganda loses $1b per year,” said Bataringaya.

He noted that in the areas of occupational safety and health, the ministry has so far inspected 20, 000 enterprises country wide, examined 15, 000 statutory plants and equipment, registered over 1000 work premises and raised sh1b in non-tax revenue and reviewed over 800 architectural drawings for commercial, industrial and public structures.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Pius Bigirimana, in a speech read by the director for Gender and Community Development, Jane Mpagi, called upon employers to provide safe and healthy environments and foster a safety culture among their staff.

“Worker participation is also essential in order to implement solutions at an enterprise level effectively. Even the best prepared guidelines will have little impact unless the workers themselves are able to express themselves on issues and make proposals based upon their own experiences in the workplace,” said Bigirimana.

He added: “World Day for Safety and Health at Work has a particular resonance in this year. Since the beginning of this year, over 20 workers have died in factories, road accidents, mining among other workplaces. We must highlight the fact that many workplace accidents are entirely preventable through use of tried and tested practices and adherence to national and international standards.”

In March, six employees of Crest Foam factory in Ntinda, a Kampala suburb, died in an inferno that left the company counting losses totaling to sh6b.

Bigirimana appreciated the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Uganda Police Force (UPF) for attaching officers to the ministry to assist in the closure of workplaces and prosecution of errant owners of work premises that is to commence next month.

Masaka Municipality mayor Godfrey Kayemba, acknowledged the challenge faced in ensuring adherence to the safety and health standards especially in slummy areas such as Nyendo, but said in the central business district of Masaka, just a handful of work premises have not complied because of the strict inspection of buildings by the physical planning unit of the municipality.

Johnson Senyonga Muyanja, Mokono Municipality mayor, however, blamed the ministry for the low compliance rate, saying it is only interested in collecting registration fees but has done little to sensitize the public on the importance of complying with the occupational safety and health standards.

“People are not aware of their rights because the ministry has done very little to sensitize them. This is a very big problem and I call upon them to come out and sensitize the public first before colleting the registration fees,” said Muyanja.