14 Mar 2016

Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Mr Thapelo Olopeng says health and safety policy and packages should not neglect workers with disability.

Mr Olopeng said health and safety of workers with disability should be incorporated in health and safety policy and it must be ensured that the environment is conducive for their status.

“Just from the parking zone, they must move easily with their wheel chairs,” he said. 

 He was speaking at health and safety day organised by Central District Council headquarters  and Serowe  Administrative Authority occupational health and safety committee in collaboration with Serowe youth office ,on Friday.

The event held under theme Health and Safety Is My Responsibility, Mr Olopeng said, challenge the leadership to ensure that health and safety prevail and to design policies to support this.

The equipment and tools used in the work place must be health and safety compliant, the minister stated.

Mr Olopeng said that he introduced national fitness day last year to cater for those who are not in professional sports arena.

Also, he  said, was giving heed  to Ms Dorcas Malesu, minister of health’s concern that diabetes and high blood pressure  were overwhelming her ministry and a lot of funds were channeled to such illnesses .

He explained that as expects say prevalence of such illnesses are high among those who lack physical activity, he declared every second Friday of the month a national fitness day.

Advancing of technology   he said has made matters worse as people rely much on technology and body do not experience  any sort of physical  work out. “Just from the automatic vehicles we are driving, automated gates, and our television sets that use remote control we head straight to bed,” he said. Fitness is wellness, we cannot divorce the two, added that the time is now for all to be involved in physical exercises.

He noted that 2016 is a special year for the nation because it is the last tick of the national vision  being Vision 2016 and the country turning 50 years.

He said Batswana deserves to celebrate the anniversary because they enjoyed democracy, peace and tranquility that prevailed over the years.

For his part, senior inspector of factories from Selebi Phikwe in the department of occupational safety and health -Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs,Mr Wonder Mfetane told workers that it is their responsibility to know about health and safety policies and should stand against the conditions that degrade their health and safety. 

At the same time,Mr Mfetane said the employer should conduct risk assessment to protect  employees from potential risks.

He said ill-health and occupational injuries impacts work, families and ultimately the economy. Ends