With the pending legislation of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Bill, it is crucial for businesses to implement OSH policies that are of an international standard and begin enforcing best practices among their employees.

Championing the cause is brewing giant Red Stripe, which recently hosted a knowledge-sharing forum under the theme ‘Occupational Safety and Health: An Economic Driver.’

For his part at the forum, Zavia Mayne, Minister

of State in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security noted several revisions

the bill will bring.

“It is a new day for OSH because this act will issue a new paradigm in accordance to the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) standards and will take into consideration more vital groups such as the financial sector, shops and offices, agriculture and the public sector. It also redefines the concept of an ’employer’ and ’employee’ to be more inclusive of numerous business of varying kinds,” Mayne explained.

The passage of the bill will help to

promote OSH principles; however, employers need to play their part in ensuring

they are implemented and enforced.

President of the Jamaica Occupational

Safety and Health Professionals Association Janice Green renewed her call for local

businesses to achieve and maintain OSH global standards.

“It is important that companies educate

themselves on OSH best practices and implement them in their work procedures to

create a safer environment for employees. This includes providing resources

such as workplace health, safety and wellness policies, health insurance, life

insurance and personal accident insurance as well as National Insurance Scheme

benefits. With the right framework in place, employees can equip themselves to

be safer and more secure in their work environments,” noted Green.

Red Stripe’s OSH model ahead of many Jamaican firms

As part of the Heineken Company, Red Stripe

has already implemented a safety management structure that meets and exceeds

the standards set to be established by the pending bill.

With safety and health risks in its

widespread network, ‘Safety First’ is the company’s number one valued behaviour

and guides employees in how they carry out their duties.

Jeffaust William, Safety and Security

Manager, said, “We have a Behavioural Based Safety (BBS) programme, which is a

process that creates a safety partnership between management and employees.”

“The process requires employees to focus on

their daily safety behaviours as well as those of their co-workers. This

fosters active participation among staff who now hold safety at a high

standard. We also have a Safety Improvement Report Card (SIRC) system which

allows employees to record all accidents and identify safe and unsafe

behaviours,” William pointed out.

To complement that initiative, the brewing

company also provides several resources to help workers develop a healthier

lifestyle including a ‘wellness programme’ in the lunchroom, a hearing

conservation programme, respiratory protection programme and an ergonomic

programme that the company says are imperatives for business success.