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GTUC seeks intervention into GPL work related deaths
The National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) is fearful that some employees of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) are working under dangerous conditions and nothing is being done to rectify the situation.
Despite several deaths and injuries due to GPL employees being shocked, receiving burns and falling off electricity poles over the years, NAACIE head Kenneth Joseph said calls for safer work conditions are falling on deaf ears, while requests to address the matter, “Can’t seem to get past certain levels.”
NAACIE head Kenneth Joseph
What seemed even more stressful to the union head was the poor attention given to the incident when it occurs, and the lack of investigations into an employee’s death or injury.
Joseph told media operatives last week that this issue is a growing one at GPL and it is becoming a major burden for the union since they are seemingly unable to get through to the GPL hierarchy.
After relating two recent work-related deaths and one injury, Joseph said relatives of those persons are still to receive compensation from the state owned electricity agency.
He however said that GPL was warned a long time ago that people were being endangered. “We told the company since 2009 that they are putting peoples’ lives at risk.”
He said it is unthinkable to allow people to lose their lives, “because you want to pay less.”
He said, “I don’t know how the Ministry that is concerned with GPL can allow, without investigation, the incidents occurring.”
Joseph said that not only are the gear or tools an issue but the attention being placed on safety precautions and other vital areas is lacking.
He however noted that issues of safety are something that top brass officials should be paying keen attention to.
Added to this, Joseph had also called for massive investigations into GPL and its functioning before any more budgeted funds are pumped into the company. Matters of safety were one of the areas which he said need to be investigated, while touching also on the hiring and management process.
It was reported that in 2012 at Victoria, a GPL worker was burnt while working on an electricity pole. Joseph said the man is still in a wheelchair awaiting compensation. In Berbice a young man also died after falling from a pole and on February last, another was badly burnt at West Coast Berbice.
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