Safety on the Job

The cause of the explosion is yet to be determined, but officials of the Regulated Industries Commission (RIC) have given the assurance that an investigation will be carried out and measures put in place to prevent a recurrence. We hope that this investigation will be thorough and done in a timely fashion. Thus far, however, this country’s experience with investigations into industrial accidents has not been a satisfactory one.

The latest incident has, as usual, led to calls from the various trade unions for the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) to be implemented. While the Act will not of itself guarantee fewer industrial accidents, the trade unions are certainly right to complain about Government’s tardiness over this important piece of legislation. Indeed, the Manning administration, and Labour Minister Danny Montano in particular, should be highly embarrassed, to say the least, over their handling of this matter.

It is now over two years since the OSHA was passed in Parliament, and the Act is yet to be proclaimed. It had to be returned to Parliament for revamping, due to fundamental omissions and errors. After being debated a second time, it has been passed again — and now appears to be stuck in some bureaucratic limbo. It is no wonder that the trade unions have accused the Government of deliberate malingering, for the purpose of not falling out with the business community.

Yet, whether this is so or not, the fact remains that industries are hurt far worse by accidents than they are by any safety legislation. Workers too have a responsibility to ensure that they observe the safety rules that are in place, such as following precautionary instructions while on the job. One main use of the OSHA is that it will provide mechanisms for the proper investigation of accidents when they do occur. At present, none of the reports of industrial accidents over the past 12 months has demonstrated whether mechanical, technical or human error caused the deaths of workers. Most importantly, no report has made it clear whether cost-cutting by management was a factor in these deaths — even in the case where one worker was working from a height without a standard safety harness.

This may be why business would not want to see an OSHA in force. However, any such reluctance is short-sighted. While the OSHA will increase the cost of doing business, it would also help secure the future of business by keeping the supply of skilled workers steady. After all, if industrial accidents continue to occur on a regular basis, and if the causes of such accidents are not identified, then there will come a tipping point where workers will decide that the risk of industrial work is not worth the rewards.

This does not mean that industries will not get workers. But it does mean that they will not get the most skilled workers, since such persons will either choose other fields or else emigrate to countries where their skills are wanted but safety standards are higher. We are still far from that point, but a dollar of prevention is worth thousands in cure. Both the Government and the business sector should realise this, and push for the OSHA to be implemented.