The 2023 World Day for Safety and Health at Work is celebrated on 28th April 2023 exploring the theme of a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental principle and right at work.
This theme aligns with the beliefs at the St. Vincent Brewery Ltd (SVBL) which has been leading health and safety management in St. Vincent and the Grenadines since 2012. As a company SVBL invest in and implement safety management systems to promote, in so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety, welfare of employees, and to ensure that employees and visitors/contractors are kept safe.
Safety Analyst at the SVBL Joshua Laborde stated that “Good health and safety management is characterized by strong leadership, and we place special emphasis on visible felt leadership and frontline management. We believe that a strong safety system is built on autonomous teams that promote territorial safety. The discipline that goes into a safety program will spill over into production and quality control. Our employees are provided with extensive training programs which equip them with safe work practices and promote our zero-risk taking culture.”
Laborde further stated that “the main goal of safety and health programs is to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths, as well as the suffering and financial hardship these events can cause for workers, their families, and employers. We implement a proactive approach to managing workplace safety and health and as such aimed to work with key stakeholders to support the implementation of a strong safety culture here in St. Vincent.” Throughout the week, SVBL partnered with the SVGRPF, Nutrition unit of the ministry of health and CWSA in an effort to improve internal and external awareness of workplace safety.
During this pivotal week, SVBL executed several training sessions to promote personal and collective safety for their employees.
On Monday 24th April, the staff of the SVBL had a Road Safety and Traffic Laws seminar, hosted by CPL Phillip King. Employees were able to benefit from a discussion on road safety practices as well as deepen their understanding of traffic laws.
Tuesday 25th April there was a Fire Safety training session with Sargeant Mark Ellis and fire officer Kenroy O’Garro, who trained employees on how to prevent fires and the appropriate response in the event of a fire.
Additionally, a nutrition talk was held, hosted by Nicole France and her team from the Nutrition unit. This interactive and engaging session allowed employees to understand the need for healthy diets and managing the health of their bodies, with a follow up session held on the 27th which provided health checks and consultation to employees.
Wednesday 26th April met the employees of SVBL in a session with CPL Millington of the CID in a discussion on how to improve their understanding of violence prevention and criminal law. Laborde stated that this session was also important as the Management of the Brewery strive to keep their employees safe on and off the facility.
The week concluded on Friday 28th with a family day. Employees were allowed to invite their family members to the facility to see firsthand the safety systems which are in place to keep their loved ones safe.
According to Mr. Laborde these activities were designed to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses, improve compliance with laws and regulations, engage workers, enhance their social awareness, responsibility, goals, increase productivity, and enhance overall business operations.