How many more should die before we act

| Friday July 9, 2010 00:00

Amongst the accidents reported are disabling injuries as well as fatalities. If my memory serves me well, the death toll resulting from a poor work environment and systems of work in the construction industry stand at three. Early this year, an employee was reported dead after falling from heights in a construction site in Gaborone, this time around it is two dying in a pit.

 The question one can ask is for how long are we going to wait and after how many dear lives should be lost for the government to recognise the importance and need of Occupational Health and Safety. It is disheartening to find that in a developing country like Botswana, where each and every hour there is a new construction site coming up, there is still no Occupational Health and Safety legislation to regulate and ensure preservation of life in the workplace.

How will these contractors recognise their duty of care to their employees if there is no regulating framework. At this time it would be worthwhile to hear what the views of our legislators in parliament when talking about such pertinent issues- not alcohol. My request to the media fraternity is that you seek more clarity on the powers that be on what they are actually doing about this. Just across the boarder, and abroad where most of these contractors come from, they know their responsibilities with regard to workplace safety, but because they have realised Botswana is still lagging behind, they take advantage and work as they please.  I am hopeful you will have this taken up with all the stakeholders including the trade unions. K MBy email