Social partnership to focus on psychological aspects of workplace safety

The social partners will be closely examining the National Workplace Wellness Policy for Barbados over the next week.

Delivering remarks at the opening ceremony for Occupational Safety and Health Week on Monday, Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations Colin Jordan said the partners will focus primarily on the psychological and physical wellness aspects of the policy.

He said just as much attention must be paid to psychological impacts as traditional occupational safety and health concerns.

The National Workplace Policy provides a framework within which social partners can design programmes to manage the nine dimensions of workplace wellness. The dimensions are psychological and physical wellness, social, environmental, occupational, cultural, spiritual, financial and intellectual factors.

Jordan said: “There will be a practical session examining the national policy, including the highlight of local case studies implementing the aspect of physical wellness programmes. It is my hope that this week’s session on the National Workplace Policy will serve as a launchpad for more organizations to embrace this policy. I can assure you that my Ministry will provide practical assistance to any organization – large or small, public, private or third sector – that works towards implementation.”

The Minister urged employers to ensure they provide a safe working environment for their employees and also encouraged them to be cognizant that although times may be tough, their responsibility remains to ensure that risks to workers are as low as reasonably practicable, while doing their best to manage costs and still stay in business.

He also encouraged both employees and employers to take advantage of opportunities to improve arrangements for workplace safety and health, including participating in this week’s activities and subscribing to other programmes that are offered by the Ministry during the year, as well as those provided by the social partners.

“The COVID-19 pandemic, the volcanic ashfall, the freak storm and Hurricane Elsa have no doubt taken a toll on many persons. The psychological impact of these simultaneous threats on our people must not be overlooked. Now is the time, more than ever before, to be our brother’s and sister’s keeper. Many persons have suffered stress, anxiety and depression due to multiple effects of the pandemic, the clean-up, and repair and replacement of damaged property,” Jordan said.

“Overall, wellness can be negatively impacted when we are unable to effectively manage our various work, family and other responsibilities. In some cases, it is a balancing act to properly manage these responsibilities, whether working in the conventional workplace or working from home.”
(AH)