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Instead of his boss sympathising with him, he fired him, accusing him of being reckless. Due to ignorance of his rights, Thulani lost his job and has not been compensated. He did not employ any legislative channels to have his situation addressed.

 

Originally a security guard, he was elevated to the position of block man that led to the gruesome incident without any signed contract.

Thulani had no benefits to cover his health; neither did he have a cent to carry him after his job ended prematurely. Today he lives at his rural home.

Thulani does not have a proper education, so is vulnerable to being shortchanged. At month ends his salary was delivered in a khaki envelope.

In another incident, Buhle Sibanda works as a secretary at an office within the Bulawayo central business district. Every day she complains of eye strain she gets from the computer she uses. She thinks the problem is with her. As a result she just keeps quiet about that. She now wears glasses after a doctor prescribed them. Life has never been easy for her as she needs to use her own salary to have eyes problem attended to. She does not have a proper health cover. Her salary is so meagre she can’t afford proper meals while at work, let alone money to cover her travelling to and from work. As a result she walks daily from Queenspark to her workplace.

The above incidents depict problems that many workers endure just to have only that penny in their pockets. The question is: should people suffer such slavery to get money? Due to ignorance and autocratic employers, some workers have thought and taken it to be normal to face all those problems. Some people have to risk their health and even life just for the sake of keeping that job. They are seemingly in a catch 22 situation. Firstly, to tell their boss of their plight and rights at work could mean them losing their job. Secondly, losing a job could mean they have lost a source of livelihood and these two scenarios leave them in a quandary.

Accidents at work are very common and can occur in any job, in any situation but a worker should not be scared of filling a work accident claim against an employer if they are involved in an accident at work. After all, the employer has the duty to provide safe working conditions, and if they do not fulfil this then they are breaking the law, by putting the worker at risk.

Work-related fatalities can happen in spite of where you work. Most people have thought only of factory accidents or construction-related accidents, overlooking the fact that even office environs have their own accidents that need to be taken into cognisance.

The employee should know that their employer has a responsibility to ensure safety and health at work. This does not only protect the employee, but even the employer from facing accident claims being filed against them.

According to media reports, 2011 saw 71 deaths in workplace related accidents, reflecting a decrease from the 84 recorded in 2010. Seventy one people were killed at work or in work related accidents during the first 11 months of 2011, a period in which 3 744 injuries were registered.

“Workers continue to die in work-related accidents as most employers are not prioritising occupational health and safety issues amid fears that the accidents and deaths will increase as the country’s industry begins to show signs of growth,” said a recent report on ZBC.

Work-accidents are commonly documented in the mining, manufacturing and agricultural sector. Some workers do not even know their entitlements to health and safety. To reduce the carnage at work, National Social Security Authority (NSSA) should carry out more robust and frequent factory inspections at the same time educate the public on health, safety and the workers’ right especially if an accident befalls them.

Efforts to ensure safety at work should be coordinated since it’s not only the responsibility of the employer, but the employee and social security organisations as well.

The gravity of work-related accidents is big. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) global statistics show that 337 million work accidents occur every year. Every year there are more than two million work related deaths worldwide. Over 160 million work-related sicknesses are registered the world over.

There are handy tips to help the employees at work places. The employers must:

l keep dust, fumes and noise under control

l make sure that plant and machinery are safe and regularly maintained, and that the systems used in the workplace are safe

l provide protective clothing where necessary

l report certain diseases and injuries to the relevant authority

l provide adequate first aid equipment and facilities

l take precautions against fire and provide adequate means of escape and means of fighting fire .

l assess the risks that might be involved in work practices such as using a computer. The work practices must be changed to prevent injuries.

Besides work-related accidents, there are many other problems that affect workers, thereby reducing productivity in some instances. Labour organisations, NSSA, workers committees and employees need to nip related problems in the bud. Workers’ rights need to be observed by employers and the Labour Court must leave no stone unturned especially on the rights of workers.

All in all, there should be concerted effort to fight work-related accidents. Employers should guarantee safety, health and an accident-free working environment. The employee should also make efforts to know proper instruments, policies and parameters to prevent or lessen the impact of accidents.

If they are involved in an accident at work, they should seek proper professional counselling so as to get proper compensation. It is high time labour organisations also did thorough educational campaigns and inspections.

 

* Jonah Nyoni is development journalist and motivational speaker. z

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