Govt vows on labour laws

  BY DONALD KIIRYA

Government has vowed to enforce laws geared towards protecting workers from occupational hazards.

“Government is set to establish a National Occupational Safety and Health profile, which will guide the development of a policy as well as the establishment of an Occupational Safety and Health services for Workers,” minister of state for labour Mwesigwa Rukutana said.

He was presiding over the Eskom Uganda Limited’s celebrations marking 1000 days without lost time injury in Jinja.

According to Rukutana, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that there are over 2.3 million accidents at workplaces every year, which leads to loss of lives and $2.8trillion.

“It is therefore, uplifting to see that a Ugandan Company can achieve 1000 days without lost time injury. We applaud all staff of Eskom Uganda Limited for proving to the World that Ugandan Companies take safety at work very seriously. By achieving Zero lost time injury, Eskom Uganda limited has helped to contribute to lowering losses and human suffering associated with injury, accident and occupational diseases,” he said.

In the past the country has faced challenges due to inadequate awareness and sensitization on occupational safety and health, but this is changing.