Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry organized a two-day training workshop on occupational health and safety environment in Bvumbwe to help promote health and safety for workers and productivity for institutions.
Speaking during the opening of the event Daisy Kambalame observed that while many view occupational health and safety as an extra burden or cost to their operations, it adds value to organisations and demonstrates goodwill to protect the health of employees and clients.
“Unhealthy or unsafe working conditions can be found anywhere, whether the workplace is indoors or outdoors. As a membership-based institution that work with private sector. One of our objectives is providing capacity building to our members, hence convening this workshop.
“Poor working conditions have the potential to affect a worker’s health and safety that leads to poor productivity of an institution. The main objective is not to incur more costs but to retain good health and safety of employees that will in return be more productive,” she said.
The training facilitator, Emmanuel Nkhwali underscored the importance of occupational health, pointing lack of proper understanding of policies and procedures among employees leads to destruction or malfunctioning and even loss of company property.
He said companies incur huge costs in legal fees, insurance and financial support to victims and their families as well as some other hidden costs which include dwindling of employees’ morale and lost time in the absence of behaviour-based safety.
“Companies need to do is to invest in its employees because with this comes a safe environment, better output from employees as well as safety behaviour. Teaching employees on risk management is not easy, but we need to understand that if people are well equipped in risk management, they stand a better chance of preventing accidents and injuries,” he said.
