Deputy Chief Agricultural Officer, Arona Fahie-Forbes said agriculture was one of the most hazardous occupations. Photo: VINO/File

A panel appeared on the Umoja radio show last evening, May 9, 2013 in efforts to bring awareness about issues concerning the health and safety of workers in the Territory.

Guests on the programme included Deputy Chief Agricultural Officer Arona Fahie-Forbes, Safety and Health Coordinator in the Department of Human Resources, Sylvia George and Ag Deputy Director of Water and Sewerage Department Bernard Grant.

The Theme designated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for 2013 is “The Prevention of Occupational Diseases”; according to the ILO website, World Day for Safety and Health at Work was observed on April 28, 2013.

Fahie-Forbes stated that agriculture is one of the most hazardous occupations in the world owing to the fact that farmers primarily deal with pesticides, which are considered a hazardous substance by nature.

She outlined the importance of reading labels on products used to get rid of pests, even within the home while using household products such as Baygon.

Grant felt it was important that policies and awareness were in place before penalties could implemented in situations where persons could be held accountable for workplace hazards. He explained that the relevant science was fairly new and added, “I think we can’t sometimes jump to putting in penalties so quickly, that we don’t realise the level of what our hazard [or] our risk is.”

According to Grant, “At the Water and Sewerage Department, how we have embarked on addressing health and safety issues in the workplace, is by creating a manual.”

Fahie-Forbes expressed that even though workers in the industry were made aware of potential hazards, they still needed to be constantly reminded about the necessity of protective gear, such as masks in the use of pesticides.

Apart from workshops that are held periodically to create awareness, there are also school visits that aid in getting the message out about Safety and Health in the work environment, Fahie-Forbes said.

According to the ILO website, the day is observed annually to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally. It is an awareness-raising campaign intended to focus international attention on emerging trends in the field of occupational safety and health and on the magnitude of work-related injuries, diseases and fatalities worldwide.