been urged to collaborate with other industrial-based organizations to
mount effective sensitization and training programmes to help to
achieve acceptable standards of safety at the workplace.
Professor William Otoo Ellis, Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science and Technology (KNUST), said safety issues had
become topical among industry players because advancement of science
and technology had made most industries become susceptible to all
forms of accidents.
Explosions at industrial sites, electrical shocks, structural
collapses and fires among others, he said, could be reduced if workers
were given the necessary training on the proper use and handling of
equipment, electrical gadgets and other sophisticated machines.
Prof Ellis was addressing a seminar organized by the Institution to
create the platform to interact and mentor engineering students of the
university.
It formed part of activities marking this year’s engineering
week celebration of GIE, which is being held under the theme:
“Effective Public and Industrial Safety Management- The Role of the
Professional.”
Prof Ellis said ensuring safety practices would lead to maximum
organizational productivity and must therefore be of utmost concern to
all.
The Vice-Chancellor said it was unfortunate that due to the lack of
appropriate legal regime, cost and adequate industrial inspectors,
many developing countries were grappling with the issue of maintaining
safe industrial atmosphere.
He said more work was needed to be done to reverse the trend and to
tackle occupational hazards at industrial workplaces.
Ms Hannah Tetteh, Minister of Trade and Industry, commended the
engineers for the crucial role they were playing to push ahead Ghana’s
industrial agenda.
She said with the emergence of the oil and gas sector they would
be expected to provide the required expertise to develop the sector.
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