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Michael Magoronga,[email protected]

THE mining town of Kwekwe will host the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) workshop for engineers scheduled for a local hotel from 20 to 22 March.

More than 3 000 engineers from across the country’s 10 provinces are expected to converge in the mining town for the two-day workshop which is expected to officially be opened by Public Service Labour and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo.

The annual workshop, which has been going on for more than 20 years, is spearheaded by NSSA together with other stakeholders to reduce occupational hazards within the workplace.

The workshop will run under the theme “Promoting an Occupational Safety and Health Culture through Vision Zero.”

NSSA deputy director Marketing and Communication, Mr Tendai Mutseyekwa said there will also be speakers from other countries like Germany who will speak on “The Vision Zero journey and sustainability of a safe and healthy workplace.”

According to Mr Mutseyekwa, Vision Zero is a transformational approach to prevention that integrates the three dimensions of safety, health, and wellbeing at all levels of work.

“It is based on the assumption that all accidents harm, and work-related ill health are preventable,” he said.

Mr Mutseyekwa said the theme was meant to inculcate a strong culture of accident prevention in the workplace and for the employers and employees to appreciate that it is possible to achieve zero occupational accidents, injuries and diseases.

“The workshop will also provide a forum for sharing engineering intervention measures aimed at eliminating work-related accidents and illness, as well as environmental damage. It will foster the Vision Zero philosophy through engineering as well as inculcate a culture of continuous improvement among all stakeholders,” he said.

Among topics to be discussed in the 2024 edition, include, hazards and risks of the steel making industry, risk management incentives and mechanisms to avert abrogation of OSH responsibilities, management and safety and health risks in the lithium mining and processing industry, the legal framework for occupational safety and health in Zimbabwe among other topics.

Part of the workshop will also include site visits to companies.

The workshop comes as Kwekwe is battling increased cases of silicosis diseases which are claiming lives within the mining industry.