By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

The Labour Minister has pledged to “completely revamp” Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards in The Bahamas adding that a public consultation will be held soon.

A report from the US on human rights, noted that the Ministry of Labour who holds the responsibility, “did not effectively enforce minimum wage, overtime, and OSH laws.”

“The government set occupational safety and health (OSH) standards appropriate to the main industries,” the report read. “Some workers in construction, agriculture, informal tourist operators, engineering, and informal sectors endured hazardous conditions. Typically, persons who were unable to work because of hazardous conditions were protected from dismissal; however, there were no statutory provisions that guarantee paid leave.

“The Ministry of Labour was responsible for enforcing labor laws, including standards for minimum wage, work hours, and OSH. Ministry inspectors infrequently conducted random site visits. Inspectors levied fines to enforce OSH standards and to investigate employee concerns and complaints. Penalties for violations of OSH, wage, and work hour laws were commensurate with those for crimes such as negligence. The government did not effectively enforce minimum wage, overtime, and OSH laws. Penalties were rarely applied against violators. The number of labor inspectors was not sufficient to enforce compliance. Inspectors had the authority to make unannounced inspections and initiate sanctions. Employers generally cooperated with inspectors to implement safety standards.”

Labour Minister, Pia Glover-Rolle, however, said the ministry is working to bring OSH in The Bahamas to international standards.

“We continue to work to improve labour conditions and we are making great strides in that regard,” Ms Glover-Rolle said. “In a few months, we will be introducing a slate of reforms that will modernize every major labour law, including the Employment Act, the Industrial Relations Act, the Public Service Act, and General Orders.

“We will completely revamp our Occupational Safety and Health standards, enhance the protections available for casual workers, align our labour laws with international standards, introduce more protections against workplace harassment and abuse, and promote well-being through extended maternity leave, paternity leave, and mental health leave.

“These are just a few of the reforms that we are prioritizing. We will have a public consultation in the near future so the public can be fully briefed and have their feedback included in the reform process. I invite all interested members of the public to participate as we accelerate progress on the largest labour reform exercise in many years. More details will be released in coming weeks.

In May, Ms Glover-Rolle, speaking at the National Symposium on Occupational Safety called for “the need to modernise labour by “establishing robust Occupational Safety and Health regulations.”

“Through our discussions, we will explore critical elements including, secondary legislation that provides greater specificity and coverage; tailored stipulations for different categories of workers; the introduction of specific provisions such as OSH committees; and the establishment of a national policy framework on Occupational Safety and Health,” Ms Glover-Rolle said at the symposium.

“I am particularly pleased to note that this Symposium will also initiate a new gap analysis in support of ratifying ILO-standard maternity protections. As a working mother myself, I view the enhancement of provisions to support maternal welfare as both a personal

commitment and a policy imperative. Strengthening maternity protection represents a crucial dimension of our broader labour reform ambitions and directly advances the wellbeing of Bahamian families.

“We anticipate that this Symposium will produce a formal declaration regarding ILO Conventions 155, 183, and 187. This declaration will serve as both a milestone and a roadmap, guiding our continued efforts to ratify all Core Conventions of the ILO as outlined in our Decent Work Country Programme.”