New normal

Independent Senator Dr Kristina Hinds says the Safety and Health at Work (Amendment) Bill 2022 falls short of addressing the changing nature of the workplace, even as she expressed broad support for the legislation.

She told the sitting of the Senate on Wednesday that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that the workplace is no longer just brick and mortar establishments and the legislation should therefore have acknowledged that it can be a private residence and address critical issues related to that.

“I believe that we need amendments to acknowledge occupational health and safety when persons’ work places move into the home, move into the private sphere. The legislation, as I mentioned, relates to things that are very conventional as to what is work and where work happens,” Dr Hinds said.

She made clear that while employers were not expected to change conditions in a home or neighbourhood, steps should be taken to ensure employees working remotely can safely do their jobs while maintaining productivity.

“I do think we need to have some provisions in place so that when persons are working from home remotely, telecommuting, that they have safety considerations in mind and that these are not at their expense.

“So we know that there are provisions within office settings – ergonomics, the chairs, the padding for your typing so that people don’t get carpel tunnel [syndrome]. So these things need to be taken into consideration when we move the workplace into the home, and it’s not just in cases of emergency,” the Senator said.

She further urged authorities to take into considerationInternational Labour Organisation (ILO) provisions that call for employers to take responsibility for ensuring their workers are trained and knowledgeable about how to perform their duties safely from home.

“So it is not that we are just pushing work into someone’s private home and letting them deal with the working situationthemselves. Things need to be put in place to ensure that people know about taking breaks, about standing up, about taking breaks for your eyes, ensuring perhaps that there is some kind of division between your work space and other spaces in the house,” Dr Hinds said.

“So these are some of the things that I would have loved to have seen in the amendment. I was hoping to see an amendment that takes into consideration how we are changing the workplace, whatever that may be, so that all of those people who are in this new normal are also provided for in this new legislation,” she added.

In his contribution to the debate, Government Senator Andwele Boyce noted that the legislation not only recognises the inherent value of workers as producers of capital but seeks to provide an enabling environment to help employees work safely.

Responding to Dr Hinds’ concerns, he said Government has already embraced a flexible work arrangement policy and a Future of Work Committee chaired by Barbados Workers’ Union General Secretary Toni Moore that is plotting the way forward on the issues related to the changing world of work.