Does the organization that you work for have Occupational Safety and Health Policy? As an organization, are you OSHA compliant?

Occupational Health and Safety Policy is a document outlining the organization’s commitment to protect the health, safety and welfare of the workers.

It’s not a Public Relations document but a live one that calls for commitment of the management and co-operation of the workers to promote a safe and healthy work environment.

This is contained in the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2007 (OSHA 2007) of the Kenyan laws. It’s an Act of Parliament to provide for the safety, health and welfare of workers and all persons lawfully present at workplaces, to provide for the establishment of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health and for connected purposes.

DUTIES OF OCCUPIERS

1. Prepare Health and safety policy and make arrangements for the time being in force for carrying out that policy
2. To ensure the safety, health and welfare at work of all persons working in his workplace
3. Responsible for the provision and maintenance of plant and systems and procedures of work that are safe and without risks to health
4. Ensure safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances;
5. Ensure the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure the safety and health at work of every person employed (the employer is required to train the OSH Committee members, first aid and fire safety at no cost to the employee)
6. the provision and maintenance of a working environment for every person employed that is, safe, without risks to health, and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for the employees’ welfare at work
7. Carry out appropriate risk assessments in relation to the safety and health of persons employed and, on the basis of these results, adopt preventive and protective measures to ensure that under all conditions of their intended use, all chemicals, machinery, equipment, tools and process under the control of the occupier are safe and without risk to health and comply with the requirements of safety and health provisions in this Act
8. An occupier shall not dismiss an employee, injure the employee or discriminate against or disadvantage an employee in respect of the employee’s employment, or alter the employee’s position to the detriment of the employee by reason only that the employee ;(a) makes a complaint about a matter which the employee considers is not safe or is a risk to his health; (b) is a member of a safety and health committee established pursuant to this Act; or (c) exercises any of his functions as a member of the safety and health committee.
9. Every occupier shall establish a safety and health committee at the workplace in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Minister if (a) there are twenty or more persons employed at the workplace; or (b) the Director directs the establishment of such a committee at any other workplace
10. The occupier of a workplace shall cause a thorough safety and health audit of his workplace to be carried out at least once in every period of twelve months by a safety and health advisor, who shall issue a report of such an audit containing the prescribed particulars to the occupier on payment of a prescribed fee and shall send a copy of the report to the Director.

DUTIES OF THE EMPLOYEES

1. Ensure his/her own safety and health and that of other persons who may be affected by his acts or omissions at the workplace;
2. Co-operate with his employer or any other person in the discharge of any duty or requirement imposed on the employer or that other person by this Act or any regulation made hereunder;
3. At all times wear or use any protective equipment or clothing provided by the employer for the purpose of preventing risks to his safety and health;
4. Comply with the safety and health procedures, requirements and instructions given by a person having authority over him/her for hi/hers own or any other person’s safety;
5. Report to the supervisor, any situation which he has reason to believe would present a hazard and which he/she cannot correct;
6. Report to his supervisor any accident or injury that arises in the course of or in connection with his/her work; and

Compliance to the OSHA act 2007 ensures that the workplace is safe for all.