A total of 60 workers across various workplaces nationwide, lost their lives due to occupational accidents as revealed by the Principal Labour Officer at the Labour Department, Mr. Francis Bibuksi.According to him, concurrently, within the same time frame, 1,786 individuals sustained injuries from these accidents. Mr.

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Bibuksi shared these statistics during a training workshop on the draft National Occupational Safety and Health (NOSH) bill held in Accra. In the year 2022 alone, 37 workers tragically perished, while 1,006 injuries were recorded. In the preceding year, 2021, there were 23 fatalities and 780 injuries attributed to similar accidents.Mr.

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Bibuksi further elaborated that a significant portion of these accidents resulting in deaths or injuries—ranging from limb loss, finger injuries, to burns—occurred predominantly in sectors such as agriculture, mining, manufacturing, construction, and electricity.The primary purpose of the workshop was to engage in discourse regarding the bill and to explore avenues for addressing occupational accidents within the country.

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Organized by the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel and Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers (IUF), the event drew participants from various organizations including the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), Ghana, the Labour Department, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Health Service Workers Union of the Trade Union Congress, and the General Agricultural Workers’ Union.Expressing concern, Mr.

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Bibuksi highlighted the lack of training for many workers in manufacturing companies, underscoring its connection to the occurrence of such accidents. He emphasized that the victims, who often served as breadwinners, faced neglect from their employers, with only minimal compensation being offered.This unfortunate situation, he stated, imposed severe hardships on the families of the victims and depleted the country's human resources.

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Encouraging employers to prioritize workplace safety, Mr. Bibuksi noted that although the number of deaths was significant, only a fraction of them were reported.Mr. Bibuksi also urged workers to prioritize their own safety and called upon trade unionists to remain vigilant in safeguarding workplace safety and workers' rights. Ms.

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Adwoa Sakyi, the Regional Women’s Coordinator of IUF, stressed the importance of passing the bill into law to enhance safety and create a healthier working environment.Mr. Ernest Berko, the Deputy Director at the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, mentioned that the bill was currently under consideration at the Ministry.

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He advocated for the establishment of a robust Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) management system, emphasizing the need for an integrated approach through the establishment of a National OSH Authority.Occupational hazards pertain to conditions within a work environment that elevate the likelihood of worker fatalities, disabilities, or illnesses.

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