GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (GIS) – The Occupational Health & Safety Inspector of the Inspectorate of Health, Social Development & Labour (VSA) has been carrying out spot checks of construction sites to see if contractors are adhering to the occupational health and safety ordinance.
The occupational health and safety ordinance requires all employers to provide well-maintained tools, equipment, a workplace free of hazards including appropriate personal protective equipment.
Employers must provide their employees with a place free from recognized hazards that are causing, or are likely to cause, death or serious physical harm.
A number of unsafe practices have been uncovered during spot checks and in many cases the contractors were verbally warned to put things in place for the safety of workers on the construction site.
Employees at the site were also informed by the inspector about the importance of safety in order to avoid workplace injuries and to avoid exposure to workplace hazards.
Employees and employers must be aware of their rights and obligations pertaining to safety and the consequences of not adhering to the relevant ordinance.
Effective job safety and health add value to the workplace and help reduce worker injuries and illnesses.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that 337 million accidents occur on the job annually, while the number of people suffering from work-related diseases is close to two million. These mistakes amount to approximately 2.3 million deaths each year, with 650,000 of them due to hazardous substances – double the number of a few years ago.
The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, is here to assist employees and employers with the provision of information related to safety on the job. Those requesting information should contact the Inspectorate at 542-3579.