Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) launches OSHA course

The Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) last week launched an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) workshop. This is part of the SAJ's ongoing effort to add value to shipping-industry partners by providing relevant solutions to issues that confront the industry.

A total of 20 participants are attending the five-day programme, which commenced on September 21 and will continue for today and tomorrow. The training, which is tailored for the maritime industry, will assist stakeholders to ensure compliance with the workplace safety requirements of the Ministry of Labour's Factory Inspectorate Division, National Environment and

Planning Agency and the Jamaica Fire Brigade.

Speaking at the opening ceremony last week, Trevor Riley, general manager of the SAJ, said, "Through this training programme, we wish to maintain a commitment to the need for correct and safe operations on our port and to create a safety partnership between management and labour in which safe work habits and a safe working environment continue to be promoted daily." This, he said, will assist in the prevention of accidents that could cause personal injury, property and equipment damage and interruptions to production.

Riley noted that the SAJ is proud of the role played by members of the Joint Industrial Council for Port Bustamante, who had approached the Ministry of Labour five years ago to impress upon the government the need to ratify several international safety conventions. "We would like to believe that this effort on the part of workers, trade unionists and management in the shipping industry, part-assisted in getting the necessary attention to speed up the process to implement occupational safety and health legislation," Riley said.

Workshop objectives

At the end of the workshop, participants would have developed:

A general understanding of the local and international legislative framework, for example, Factories Act and Dock regulations.

An appreciation of the procedures and priorities of inspections and audits

An understand of the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees under the OSHA Act and local legislative framework

The course is being conducted by OSHA-certified trainer, Granville Grant. Participants represent the insurance sector, shipping companies, stevedoring companies, custom brokerage firms and terminal operators and agents.