Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
SAFETY LEVELS in Jamaica's factories are inadequate, says president of the University and Allied Workers Union (UAWU), Professor Trevor Munroe.
His comments come on the heels of announcements in the Ministry of Labour that it will be collaborating with the Inter-national Labour Organisation's (ILO) Caribbean office to conduct a full survey of the safety and health standards by the sugar industry.
"It is a very important audit," Professor Munroe said. "I think it is a very positive step but we need to be on the ball more systematically and in a sustained way."
In March, an accident claimed the life of 23-year-old technician Kajel Insang at the Long Pond sugar factory. Then in April, 29-year-old machinist Lloyd Campbell, also died in an accident at the Appleton sugar Factory.
NOT ACCEPTABLE
Referring to those two deaths, Professor Munroe said, "Even before these tragic accidents, safety levels were not acceptable. The deaths are regrettable and dramatic but there are a number of other accidents that need attention so that levels can be reduced." he said. For example: there were 610 incidents in 2002-2003 up from 550 in the previous year (2001-2002). Within that 610, 144 were due to falls, slips and trips while 135 were due to hand tools."
Noting that these accidents can be easily avoided, Professor Munroe also spoke about the low accident investigation rate in the ministry.
"In 2003 there were 86 accidents which the ministry said qualified for investigation but only 64 were investigated," the UAWU president said. "This means that the rate of investigation has gone down in relation to 2002 because in that year there were 86 accidents that qualified for investigation but 72 were investigated.'
"The Ministry Occupational Safety and Health Department has to do better to investigate those accidents that qualify for investigation and even those that do not."
