The Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Third Sector is advising all employers, employees and their representatives that amendments have recently been made to the Safety and Health at Work (SHAW) Act and, for the first time, Regulations have now been included in the Act.
Eight Regulations were recently published in the Official Gazette VOL. CLVII No. 76, on July 8, 2022. These Regulations are:
- Safety and Health at Work (Noise) Regulations, 2022;
- Safety and Health at Work (Workstation) Regulations, 2022;
- Safety and Health at Work (Personal Protective Equipment) Regulations, 2022;
- Safety and Health at Work (General Duties) Regulations, 2022;
- Safety and Health at Work (Drinking Water) Regulations, 2022;
- Safety and Health at Work (Sanitary Conveniences) Regulations, 2022;
- Safety and Health at Work (Washing Facilities) Regulations, 2022;
- Safety and Health at Work (Fuel Stations) (Medical Supervision) Regulations, 2022.
Meanwhile, the amendments to the SHAW Act were published in the Official Gazette VOL. CLVII No. 80, on July 21, 2022. One amendment of note is the inclusion of the employer in the list of persons who can be penalised for contravening the Act.
Also, the requirement for the Fire Certificate from the Chief Fire Officer to be conspicuously displayed in the workplace has been added. The amendments also include the list of documents to be kept in the general register.
Persons seeking to obtain copies of these documents should contact the Government Printing Department, Bay Street, St. Michael at 535-6301/6302.
For more information on the amendments to the SHAW Act and the Regulations, persons may contact the Occupational Safety and Health Section, Labour Department at 535-1523/1524 or at [email protected].
The SHAW ACT, which was proclaimed in 2013, aims to secure the provisions of safety, health and welfare for persons in the workplace as well as those external to the workplace who may be impacted by the activities that occur there.
