Closing of Safety Week-Stress seen as new workplace hazard |15 September 2008

Principal secretary for health and social development Anne Lafortune pointed out the need to deal with these problems as this year’s Safety Week was brought to a close on Friday at the National Institute of Education.

Present at the closing ceremony were Minister for Health and Social Development Marie-Pierre Lloyd, Minister for Employment and Human Resources Development Macsuzy Mondon and senior officials from both ministries.

Mrs Lafortune also stressed the importance of everyone taking proper safety measures so as to reduce the number of workplace accidents.

During the week workers in general, as well as school children, were given information on the risks they might meet in the workplace, as well as the measures they should take to reduce them.

Mrs Lafortune added that the week was a time to “share information, learn and network to build the preventive culture that is the key to protection from work-related illness, injury and death”.
She said the inclusion of students in Safety Week activities was one thing she was very pleased about as it creates an awareness of occupational hazards from a very young age.

A series of activities ranging from talks to quizzes on SBC radio were held under this year’s theme of Managing risks in the work environment.

Those who took part in some activities – such as the public speaking competition and the first aid course – were given their prizes and certificates.

The Department of Risk and Disaster Management came out on top in the public speaking competition, with each team member winning a shield and a certificate.

They were followed by Indian Ocean Tuna (IOT) and the Public Utilities Corporation in second and third.

Russell Finesse from the IOT won the R1,000 cash prize as the best main speaker, with Sharon Thelemaque from Risk and Disaster Management named as runner-up, earning her a R500 cash prize.