SS31-02 LANDSCAPE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS AND REQUIRED REFORMS

Abstract

Introduction In recent years, the landscape of policy and legal frameworks on occupational health and safety in southern African countries has experienced important transformations. The development of occupational health and safety is strongly influenced by the maturity of the legal framework. Materials and Methods A systematic and critical appraisal of occupational health and safety policy and legal frameworks of eight southern African countries was done. The eight countries were Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. A data proforma was used to collect data on the available policies and legislation on occupational health and safety, their comprehensiveness and level of harmonization, and ratification of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions. Results Only 3 (38%) of the countries had a national occupational safety and health policy. Two (25%) of the countries had ratified ILO Conventions 155, 161, 176 and 187. All the countries had fragmented and inadequate legal frameworks related to occupational health and safety. Conclusions Southern Africa has an immature legal framework with a glaring deficit of national occupational health and safety policies. Occupational health and safety legislation in southern Africa is still at an infancy stage. The southern African region urgently requires to take radical and urgent actions to improve its occupational health and safety policy and legislative framework. The current reforms in policy and legal frameworks will significantly alter and improve the landscape of occupational health.