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Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, Hon. Betty Amongi, issued a stern warning to employers regarding the critical need for occupational safety compliance.
Amongi on Monday shared disconcerting observations from her recent visits to various industries across Uganda, in which she found widespread neglect of basic safety standards that could have serious repercussions for both workers and employers.
Minister Amongi revealed that in some factories, the noise levels were alarmingly high, yet workers were not provided with essential ear protection such as earplugs or earmuffs.
In other factories, workers were seen carrying heavy steel with their bare hands and without wearing gloves or boots.
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The minister expressed her frustration at learning that some workers were taking their safety gear home, with one worker admitting they took it home to "look cool" and attract attention.
"This is absolutely unacceptable," she remarked. "Safety gear is meant to protect workers from injury and permanent disability, not to be used as a fashion statement."
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The minister was speaking at an event to mark the World Day for Safety and Health at Work celebrations.
The event, held at the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) in Namanve, aimed to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining safe and healthy working conditions. In her address,
Minister Amongi cautioned employers around the country that failure to provide proper safety equipment and comply with occupational safety and health (OSH) standards puts both workers and businesses at risk.
“When a life is lost, someone’s livelihood is gone, but the damage goes beyond that. It harms the reputation of the company and may even lead to business closure. Compensation for injured workers also costs the company, which could have been avoided simply by providing proper safety measures,” she warned.
She further emphasised the need for a proactive approach, urging companies to adopt more innovative safety measures, particularly with the advancement of technology.
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The Role of AI and Digitisation in Occupational Safety
Aggrey Kibenge, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, also spoke at the event, highlighting the growing role of technology in improving Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards.
While AI integration is still in its early stages in Uganda, Kibenge pointed out that the ministry has already started using technology to streamline various processes, such as web-based systems for registration, certification, inspections, and training.
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“We are steadily adopting AI and digitisation in our efforts to improve safety standards,” Kibenge stated, encouraging businesses to embrace this digital era to make their workplaces safer and more efficient.
He further explained how AI could play a major role in predicting and preventing workplace accidents.
"AI can help analyse data faster than any human can, spotting trends and patterns that could prevent accidents," he said. "Additionally, AI could be used in high-risk tasks, such as handling toxic chemicals, by deploying robots instead of exposing workers to these dangers."
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Ensuring Long-Term Safety and Training Solutions
Douglas Opio, the Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE), echoed the sentiments of his fellow speakers, stressing the need to harness the power of digitisation and AI in the workplace.
"The potential positive impact of AI on worker safety is enormous," Opio said. He added that AI could be used to accelerate training and enhance its effectiveness.
"Training is key to ensuring workplace safety, and AI can assist in creating more efficient and targeted training programs," he noted.
Ms Beatrice Aciro, the Deputy Chairperson of the Central Organisation of Free Trade Unions (COFTU), also highlighted the importance of digital safety solutions. "Digitisation is enabling smarter, more responsive, and data-driven safety systems," she explained.
"By adopting these solutions in our workplaces, we can significantly reduce the occurrence of avoidable incidents and improve overall worker safety."
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Professor Charles Kwesiga, Executive Director of UIRI, discussed the importance of integrating safety measures into industrial processes.
"In the design of industrial processes, we must always consider the health and safety of the personnel who will operate the machinery and produce the products," he said.
Professor Kwesiga also advocated for the inclusion of ergonomics and human factors engineering in university curricula to ensure future industrial professionals are trained to prioritise safety. Additionally, he suggested that Uganda could benefit from producing more Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) locally, rather than relying on imports.
"Most of our PPE is imported, yet we have the capacity to produce it locally," he said. "