Local Consultant – Development of Occupational Health and Safety Policy

BACKGROUND

As defined by World Health Organisation (WHO), occupational health deals with all aspects of health and safety in the workplace and has a strong focus on primary prevention of hazards. More people die each year from occupational injuries and diseases than from other major causes1

Government legislation/policy is what provides workers with minimum standards of health and safety in the workplace. Minimum standards, however, can always be made more protective with stronger legislation. Historically, many trade unions have been successful in pressuring governments to enact health and safety legislation, to make legislation more protective and to enforce the laws. Today it is still important for unions to organize and fight for stronger and more protective occupational health and safety legislation at the national, state or provincial levels.

While health and safety legislation provides the legal backbone to protect workers, it is only effective when collectively developed by different stakeholders, and supported by government enforcement. Without adequate legal policy and it enforcement, some employers do not feel motivated to take workplace regulations seriously, particularly since many governments still do not prosecute employers who violate workplace regulations.

Sierra Leone has a workplace safety law, known as the Factories Act 1974, but very little has been done to address the issue of health and safety in the workplace. Accidents happen all the time; men fall from scaffolding; miners drown in run-off waters; carpenters lose fingers; cars fall on mechanics. Occupational safety is a concern.

However, there is currently no policy guideline on occupational health and safety which makes it challenging in enhancing compliance to health and safety standards for workers in different works of life. The unit is guided by the Public Health Ordinance No23 of 1960 and the amended act of 1978 in the implementation of its activities. However, there is little being said about occupational health and safety in the above ordinance. Therefore, the unit lacks legal support in prosecuting employers that provide little or no health and safety provisions for it workers.

Purpose of the position

The objective for development of the occupational health and safety policy is to reduce the number of work-related accidents, diseases and environmental hazards in the country.

Specific Objectives

•To articulate MOHS commitment to sound occupational safety and health in ensuring a safe workplace for workers;

•To promote occupational health and safety within an organization and develop safer and healthier ways of working;

•To assist in training employees on the hazards of agrochemicals and possibly enforce company safety policies;

•To ensure that personal protective equipment, such as dust masks, safety glasses, safety boots etc., is being used in workplaces according to regulations;

•To ensure that dangerous materials (insecticides, pesticides, fungicide and any other poisonous materials) are correctly stored;

•To identify work areas for potential accident and health hazards, such as toxic fumes, poisonous chemicals and implement appropriate control measures;

•To make sure that the organization is aware of, and complies with, all legislation relating to its workplace activities and the use of its plant, equipment and substances;

•To help supervise the investigation of accidents and unsafe working conditions, study possible causes and recommend remedial action;

•To prepare safety procedures and precautions in the handling of agrochemicals;

•To conduct training sessions for management, supervisors and workers on health and safety practices and legislation;

•To assist with the rehabilitation of workers after accidents or injuries and make sure they experience a satisfactory return to work;

•To coordinate emergency and first aid procedures during accident or injuries;

•To increase health and safety awareness at all levels within the organization and the communities;

•To respond to employees’ safety concerns;

•To conduct, as necessary, the safety inspection on any facilities;

•To develop occupational health and safety systems, including policies, procedures and manuals.

Justification

The right to safe and healthy working conditions has dramatically gained a lot of interest at the global, regional and national levels. Countries around the world have recognized the universality, inalienability, interdependency and indivisibility of the human right to safe and healthy working conditions.

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation provides sectoral orientations that can contribute to the overall goals of national development. In that context, the formation of Occupational Health and Safety policy is seen as a further contribution to the national developmental environment through consolidating actions around issues that cut across several sectors.

It is envisaged that the policy will clearly articulate principles, values and norms that are applicable to environmental health and sanitation services at all levels of the government, civil society and the private sector, within the context of the development goals of the nation. The policy is expected to outline clear strategies that consider Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate as a “sector” for development planning as this would help to rationalize investments as well as provide a basis for integrating fragmented OHS interventions within national agenda for prosperity.

 DELIVERABLES

1.Implementation Plan

2.Technical Report

3.Policy on Occupational Health and Safety

 Duties\:

The consultant is responsible for the following\:

Implementation plan\: Development of an implementation plan stating clearly what is to be done and when;

Stakeholder mapping\: shall map out all key stakeholders with interest on occupational health and safety; pre-engagement with stakeholders about the proposed policy development;

Desk review\: The consultant together with the identified key stakeholders with interest in OHS, shall conduct a desk review to ascertain what is available and the gap;

Formation of technical working group\: A technical working group shall be formed, consisting of various stakeholders and partners with interest in OHS. This will be led by the consultant;

Production of first draft copy\: the consultant together with the technical working group and other key stakeholders shall produce a draft report, which shall be distributed to the public for their inputs, comments, and recommendations

Validation meeting\: The consultant together with the technical working group shall organise a validation workshop to validate the document

Consolidation of comments/inputs into the document;

Launching\: provides guidance and technical assistance for the launch of the document.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education\:

Essential\:

At least MSc in Environmental Sciences; postgraduate training in Occupational Health and Safety is an advantage. 

WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from accredited institutions.

Desirable\:

Training in occupational health and safety; industrial hygiene and public health.

Experience\:

Essential\:

• At least five (5) years as an occupational health and safety expert and part of a team of public health scientists working on occupational health and safety and industrial hygiene.

. Experience in the development of scientific policies and strategic plans is required.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

•   Competencies

•    Specialist in occupational health and safety and industrial hygiene;

•    Expert in public health especially in environmental sciences;

•    Very good analytical skills;

•    High organizational ability;

•    Good computer skills;

•    Team player

Other competencies include the following\:

•    Communicating in a credible and effective way;

•    Ability to work in a multicultural environment;

•    Excellent facilitation skills with counterparts and partners

Use of Language Skills

Essential\:  Excellent written and spoken English

REMUNERATION AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Remuneration

 NOC Step 2 (15,260,666.67 per month)

Place of Assignment

This consultant will be based in Freetown, Sierra Leone but will also travel to the districts.