Government seeks to enact the Occupational, Health and Safety Bill aimed at ensuring a safe, secure and healthy working environment in all sectors including agriculture and the informal sector.

The informal sector and other types of menial jobs including in agriculture are not covered by the country’s occupational health and safety policies because the work involved is not uniform.

Many injuries and deaths occur in these sectors hence the government is in the process of ensuring that safety and health standards are upheld in these sectors just like any other mainstream sector through the Occupational Safety and Health Bill.

This was revealed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mr Simon Masanga on the sidelines of the NSSA Safety awards presentation ceremony in held recently in Harare.

“NSSA has what is called Vision Zero and this is aimed at ensuring that across all sectors we maintain zero injuries and deaths and the Occupational Safety and Health Bill compliments such a goal by including all previously excluded sectors such as agriculture,” said Mr Masanga.

Mr Masanga added that the Tripartite Negotiating Bill has already been signed into law and provides a legal framework for government, labour and business to negotiate, with a common ground in dealing with the economic challenges.

Various companies from different economic sector won accolades for their outstanding record in maintaining a safe, secure and healthy environment at their workplaces.

– state media