STCCI holds conference on climate change and occupational health & safety

Joe Ghartey stcci climate change — Minister for Railways. Joe Ghartey

The Sekondi-Takoradi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (STCCI) has held its 5th Annual International Safety Conference at Takoradi in the western region. The event on Wednesday 25th to Thursday 26th September 2019 was to promote awareness of the effects of climate change on workplace safety through information sharing and training.

The conference was on the theme: “CLIMATE CHANGE AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY” with the objective of examining the impact of climate change on occupational health and safety, and advance strategies to reduce its impact on safety and health of workers.

Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Hon. Joe Ghartey, lauded STCCI for taking the lead role of ensuring best practices regarding regulations and guidelines for the prevention of climate change, assessing and managing risks of natural disasters at the workplace with policy options and strategies and its impacts on the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals “SDGs“.

Addressing stakeholders and participants, he said the environmental consequences of climate change such as rising Sea-level, changes in precipitation resulting in flooding and drought, heat waves intense hurricanes and storms and degraded air quality are affecting human health both directly or indirectly. ‘Climate Change in a way impact health, productivity of workers affected, and we need a coordinated approach in addressing the menace’, Hon. Joe Ghartey stated.

He added that the government of Ghana has signed a five-year Emission Reduction Payment Agreement with the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, making Ghana the third country after Mozambique and Dr. Congo to initiate that deal.

The Railway sector Minister called on stakeholders within the industry to work towards building a safer environment, stress free and zero harm culture with conscious efforts to develop and implement occupational health and safety policies and guidelines.

He further urged the participants at the two-day conference to avail themselves to the opportunity offered by the STCCI to learn more and be prepared to prevent and handle various occupational health and safety issues that may arise in their respective workplaces.

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