Government is committed to promoting health and safety in the workplace and this has been manifested in the various pieces of legislation passed over the years.

This view was expressed recently by Acting Minister of Labour, Social Security and Human Resource Development, Michael Lashley, as he met with officials of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health???s (IOSH) Caribbean Branch at the Ministry???s Warrens Office Complex headquarters.

Those attending the courtesy call included Chair of the Caribbean Branch, Curt Cadet; Vice Chairman, Navin Ragoo; Barbados Country Coordinator, Lekeisha Jordan; Past Chair and Safety Management Specialist, Anthony Rocheford; Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Yolande Howard; Chief Labour Officer, Vincent Burnett; and other senior officers in the Ministry.

Mr. Lashley said the Ministry of Labour was at the forefront of enacting legislation, and identified the Safety and Health at Work Act and the Employment Rights Act as examples. ???The fact we have gone in this direction shows the commitment of this administration and the previous one,??? he stated.

He commended the officers in the Ministry of Labour for the sterling work they have been doing, while disclosing that sexual harassment legislation was being finalised.??He said there was a need for greater collaboration between Government and IOSH in a number of areas.

Mr. Cadet explained that IOSH was also there to help governments as they created legislation to manage the risks and protect the health and safety of workers. He pointed out that the organisation was keen to uplift the health and safety standards in the region and get it to First World status.

He promised to share relevant information with the Ministry, saying he was hopeful that those preliminary discussions would be the start of necessary collaboration.

IOSH was founded in 1945 and is the only chartered body for health and safety practitioners. It is the world???s largest health and safety professional membership organisation.

sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb

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