26 December 2011
THE Zambia-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone Development Limited (ZCCZ) has instructed Multi-Facility Economic Zone enterprise managers to ensure that workers use protective attire to avoid compromising safety standards.
ZCCZ general manager, Zan Baosen said in a memorandum issued to the zone enterprises and obtained by the Times in Chambishi at the weekend that it was not acceptable for the employees reporting for work without protective attire.
He said some workers opted to leave their attire at home despite having been given for use at work.
Mr Zan said the trend portrayed an impression that Chinese investors did not care about the workers’ safety and yet some workers were not responsible.
He said no workers should be allowed to enter the production and construction sites if they did not have safety attire.
“ZCCZ reiterates its call to ensure workers use protective wear failure to which the erring workers and the company will be charged,” Mr Zan said.
He said some workers claimed that their safety wear had been stolen when in fact not.
Mr Zan said management had noted that non-zone enterprise workers on the streets had been wearing work suits bearing the company’ name and wondered where they obtained them from.
“We suspect that some workers sell the clothes and expect to be given again but we cannot ke ep on giving them the attire as and when they want.
“In case workers of any zone enterprises found in breach of these instructions, the company and its employee(s) involved will be given a written warning and a corresponding fine,” Mr Zan said.
He said all workers and contractors, whether permanent or temporary, as required by the relevant laws, should wear protective attire.
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