Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) has reminded employers to make sure that their employees go through a thorough pre-placement and periodic occupational medical examination for fitness, as per the requirement of the law.
Section 24 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 2013, requires that occupational medical examination be carried out by a qualified occupational health physician or where necessary a qualifiedmedical practitioner as may be authorised by the Chief Inspector.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday at a day-long meeting between employment stakeholders and OSHA senior officials, the authority’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Akwilina Kayumba noted that some employers were not complying with the law, warning that her inspectors would not hesitate to crack the whip to defaulters.
According to her in carrying out medical examination a prescribed fee and all other related expenses ought to be cleared by employers adding that the law further requires employers to conduct an exit medical examination to their employees who are either sacked, retired or those resigning voluntarily.
“I want to state clearly that there is no any public or private hospital authorised to carry out an exit of fitness medical examination, instead, she insisted, it should be carried out by a qualified occupational health physician.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 2013 provides for the safety, health and welfare of persons at work in factories and other places of work. It also provides for the protection of persons at work against hazards to health and safety arising out of or in connection with activities of persons at work.
OSHA CEO asked stakeholders in the employment sector to collaborate with the authority to make sure that the safety and health of employees were guaranteed.
“We have our doctors and we are making more efforts to ensure that we get more inspectors who will be dispatched countrywide to make sure that the obligations of the law are met,” she insisted
