Ministry of Gender Labour, and Social Development
Department of Occupational Safety and Health.
BRIEF FACTS ON THE COMMEMORATION OF WORLD DAY FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK, 28TH APRIL
The World Day for Safety and Health at Work is celebrated globally on the 28th April every year in commemoration and solidarity with the workers who have been injured, diseased or lost their lives in the course of their work. The day was declared by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2003 to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
Commemorating this Day is part of an awareness-raising campaign “intended to focus international attention onto emerging trends in the field of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) and the magnitude and challenges of work-related injuries, diseases and fatalities worldwide”. The 28th of April is also a day in which the world’s Trade Union Movement holds its international Commemoration Day for Dead and injured Workers to honour the memory of victims of occupational accidents and diseases
It provides an opportunity to look at ways of protecting co-workers, family members, employers, customers, and others who might be affected by the workplace environment.
This year, Uganda will be joining the rest of the world in marking this Day under the theme “Join in Building a Culture of Prevention on OSH”.
A national occupational safety and health culture is one in which the right to a safe and healthy working environment is respected at all levels, where the government, employers and workers actively participate in securing a safe and healthy working environment through a system of defined rights, responsibilities and duties, and where the highest priority is accorded to the principle of prevention.
Uganda joined the rest of the world in commemorating this day in 2004 for the first time. Since then, commemoration for the Day has been held almost every year, following the global themes
In Uganda, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development is the lead agency of the Social Development Sector responsible for the promotion of social protection, Gender Equality and Equity, Culture and Decent Work conditions among others.
The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) in the Directorate of Labour, is the one mandated to ensure the existence of safe and health mechanisms at the work places and work environments.
