Occupational Health and Safety

Three labor officers from the Ministry of Labor, Local Government and Rural Development of Belize visited the OHS Office of Trinidad and Tobago, to learn about the legislative framework, systems and function of the Occupational Safety and Health Authority and Agency of this country. This activity was particularly relevant given that the Belizean OSH legislation is nearly complete and the Labor Department found it necessary to strengthen the skills of its officers as it pertains to OSH.
During the visit, the Belizean delegates were able to identify some of the best practices of the Trinadian Occupational Safety and Health Agency such as: the use of an inspector’s manual, ensuring the involvement of all stakeholders in OHS, providing transportation allowance to carry out inspections, investing in the training of human resources of the Ministry of Labor (MOL) and operating a hotline whereby accidents are reported. The delegates indicated, in the Final Activity Report, the importance of adopting some of these practices in their Labor Department to provide decent work to employees in their work environments in Belize.
 
In words of the delegates, this visit showed them that “there is need of the Belize Ministry of Labor to become more proactive and aggressive as it pertains to the passing of the OSH Act in Belize” and “need to build the Ministry’s capacity in educating and raising the awareness level of the employers with regard to the existing legislation and the proposed OSH Legislation”. Finally, they agreed that the initial objectives and expectations of this cooperation were substantially met.