Latest update February 9th, 2025 5:59 AM
Dec 01, 2017 News
The Ministry of Social Protection is currently holding consultations with representatives of the Forestry sector with the intent of making the sector much safer.
Participants are reviewing a draft Occupational Safety and Health Regulations document proposed by the Department of Labour.
After successful consultations, the regulations are expected to be made under the Occupational Safety and Health Act Chapter 99:06, Laws of Guyana.
Chief Labour, Occupational Safety and Health Officer, Mr. Charles Ogle, noted that while having regulations is one step, implementation is another – something the department of labour is serious about. He advised that during consultation, considerations be made of the local context, so that the regulations are more realistic.
It is the view of the Department of Labour that Forestry work is a high-risk activity which necessitates that safety be paramount.
The nature of Forestry work is characterized by both manual and mechanical operations that provide complex challenges in harvesting timber, getting it to the roadside, and transporting it to the end user.
Workers are at risk to physical hazards such as climate, noise, hand arm vibration which causes white finger disease and environmental hazards such as bites by poisonous snakes, allergic reactions to wood or other plants, and the possible malfunction of machines, among other risks.
The Labour Department believes that forest workers who fell trees with chainsaws are perhaps exposed to the greatest risks in the industry, with tree planters also at risk from carrying heavy loads of seedlings and planting in awkward positions.
Participants at the consultation exercise hosted at Herdmanston Lodge included the Amerindian Peoples Association, the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Guyana Trades Union Congress and the Bureau of Standards, among others.
The Guyana Forestry Commission has reviewed existing forestry legislation and prepared a new draft Forests Act. The purpose of the new Act is to reform the law relating to the management of forest resources, to provide for sustainable management and to consolidate provisions of predecessor legislation.
The legislation provides for the conservation of the forests of Guyana, including measures to conserve biodiversity, special species and habitats, soil and water resources, and to protect forests against pollution, fires, pests and diseases, the participation of interested parties, including Amerindians, local communities, non-governmental organizations and persons engaged in the commercial utilization of forests, in the development and implementation of forest policies, the sustainable use of Guyana’s forest resources, in accordance with Guyana’s development needs and level of socio-economic development.
Specifically, the (Forest Act 2009) provides for (a) sustainable forest management of State forests and protection to the environment of other states or areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.
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