Renewed push for OSH Bill

After years of delays, attention has returned to the much-anticipated Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Bill, with renewed efforts to advance the legislation towards passage.

The issue came into focus yesterday at the launch by Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) of its handbook, titled A Human Rights Approach to Occupational Safety and Health in the Workplace.

JFJ said the manual addresses gaps in workplace health policies, moving beyond an HIV/AIDS-only approach to embrace a more comprehensive health framework.

Addressing the launch, Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr stressed that the Government recognised that the right to safety and a healthy work environment required an adequate legislative framework.

“And it is against that background that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security continues to advance the much-anticipated Occupational Safety and Health Bill. The bill was first tabled in 2017 and is now under extensive review with the assistance of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Legal Reform Department,” he said.

Drawing on International Labour Organization (ILO) protocols, the proposed legislation aims to strengthen the prevention of occupational risks, place accountability on those responsible for workplace safety and health, and align Jamaica with international standards and best practices while responding to the realities of the island’s labour market.

“The ministry, working with its stakeholders and the relevant legislative authorities, is pursuing the processes required to have the bill tabled in Parliament before the end of the fiscal year, and I reaffirm, as minister of labour and social security, my commitment to advancing this critical legislation,” Charles Jr told the audience.

Speaking at the launch, Opposition Spokesperson on Labour Wavell Hinds pledged the Opposition’s support for the legislation, with both parliamentarians emphasising that workers’ rights should have bipartisan backing.

“Workers, know your rights. Demand mechanisms that let you raise concerns without fear of victimisation. And as Opposition spokesperson on labour, I say this clearly: I stand ready to support advancement and the passage of a robust occupational safety and health legislation. This is where we should be able to find common ground. The health and safety of Jamaican workers has never been a partisan matter,” Hinds stressed.

The launch came against the backdrop of the recent deaths of Everton Campbell and Clifton James in separate workplace accidents.

Campbell died after being struck by a falling crane at a construction site in Montego Bay on October 2, while James was killed on September 3 when a construction truck reversed into him as he worked along the Montego Bay Bypass.

In the foreword to its handbook, JFJ said it “serves as a practical, evidence-based guide for information sharing. It addresses HIV-related stigma and discrimination, other stigmatising health conditions, such as life-threatening illnesses, disabilities, and mental health issues, and broader workplace safety considerations.”

At the ILO conference in June 2022, governments, employers and workers worldwide reached a historic tripartite consensus to add a safe and healthy working environment as the fifth category of fundamental principles and rights at work.

karen.madden@gleanerjm.com