The PWP has been making extensive efforts to promote implementation of occupational health and safety measures by contractors and workers during field implementation of sub-projects. To this end, the PWP has been using a carrot and stick policy to approach this. It has been issuing citations to contractors and, at times if they don’t comply, the PWP confiscates their bid bonds. At the same time, the PWP has been organizing training and awareness workshops for contractors and engineers from various governorates of the country to underscore the importance of implementation of occupational health and safety procedures. As part of a scheme of incentives, the PWP has been dispatching safety specialists to project sites to follow-up and prod contractors and workers to adhere to the occupational safety procedures.

It’s not an easy matter to disseminate and scale-up the occupational health and safety culture in the contracting and construction sector in Yemen. Contrary to some beliefs, this is a community-based behavior linked to peoples’ awareness and recognition of this practices. This is specially so in the contracting and construction sector, which is still not up to the mark in this area and needs to grasp the importance of occupational health and safety in creating a safe environment in which to operate and for their workers. Moreover, as proven by bid documents, the cost of compliance is not as much as some believe.

Concept

The application of occupational health and safety procedures is beneficial for many parties involved in the work, but mainly contractors and workers. The procedures ensure protection for workers as well as tools, machinery, material and the environment. They improve the work environment and apply systems and procedures that prevent accidents and injuries in the workplace, which, at times, can cause permanent disabilities and death. They also help prevent the spread of disease which workers can acquire as a result of conditions and factors that may be caused by the nature of work they do.

Objectives:

Compliance with occupational health and safety measures aim to accomplish the following:

1.Ensures a suitable workplace and availability of safety tools.

2.Protection of workers.

3.Protection of the environment.

4.Conserving material and protection of tools.

5.Protection of plants.

Responsibility in occupational health and safety

1.Provision of a work place free of work hazards and risk that may lead to injuries or disease.

2.Compliance with occupational health and safety procedures is required by law.

3.Safety of workers.

4.Safety in the work site (place).

5.Environmental safety.

6.Safety of public and private property.

7.Safety of equipment and machinery.