Workplace safety violations get zero-tolerance in Bahrain: minister

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain is following a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to ensuring workplace safety, said the health minister. Terming workers as “pillars” of the nation-building process, Jameel Humaidan, the Minister of Labour and social development, urged employers in the private sectors to maintain productivity by ensuring workplace safety.

The minister also announced conducting 14,176 inspection visits to worksites to strengthen national efforts to limit the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The inspections, until may 2021, spanned worksites across all governorates of the Kingdom, the minister said, adding that this was for ensuring adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures in establishments operating in the private sectors. Humaidan added: “Strengthening national efforts to limit the pandemic calls for raising the level of preventive measures at worksites.” “Do not expect any tolerance towards lapses in this regard amid this exceptional period,” the minister warned. Bahrain, the minister said, is committed to promoting a sound and safe work environment.

“Efforts should be made to ensure the safety of the workers at the worksite and their places of stay by maintaining social distancing and other COVID-19 preventive measures.” The minister also urged employers to ensure social distancing measures, temperature checks and sanitisers at worksites and entry points. “Overcrowding should not be allowed at the worksite, the vehicles used for transporting workers and at their places of stay.”

On this note, the minister reminded that by ensuring worksite safety, “we could turn these challenges into opportunities.” The minister also called for developing work and administrative methods to reduce risks, highlighting the importance of transferring successful experiences. “Many major international companies in the field of occupational safety and health have developed their systems in line with the developments the world is witnessing.”

The minister further called for enhancing cooperation between the government, workers and business owners for the safety of the workers and the country.