Review of Occupational Health and Safety Organization in Expanding Economies: The Case of Southern Africa

Background: Globally, access to <a title="Learn more about Occupational Health" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/occupational-health">occupational health</a> and safety (OHS) by workers has remained at very low levels. The organization...

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Autores principales:	Dingani Moyo, Muzimkhulu Zungu, Spoponki Kgalamono, Chimba D. Mwila
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Ubiquity Press 2015
Materias:	occupational health and safety southern Africa worker's health occupational health access health systems workplace health Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/d59e91eb35f64934ad2c15fcccf513d7
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:d59e91eb35f64934ad2c15fcccf513d72021-12-02T05:30:11ZReview of Occupational Health and Safety Organization in Expanding Economies: The Case of Southern Africa2214-999610.1016/j.aogh.2015.07.002https://doaj.org/article/d59e91eb35f64934ad2c15fcccf513d72015-12-01T00:00:00Zhttps://annalsofglobalhealth.org/articles/1488https://doaj.org/toc/2214-9996Background: Globally, access to <a title="Learn more about Occupational Health" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/occupational-health">occupational health</a> and safety (OHS) by workers has remained at very low levels. The organization and implementation of OHS in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana has remained at suboptimal levels. Inadequacy of human resource capital, training, and education in the field of OHS has had a major negative impact on the improvement of worker access to such services in expanding economies. South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana have expanding economies with active mining and agricultural activities that pose health and safety risks to the working population. Methods: A literature review and country systems inquiry on the organization of OHS services in the 4 countries was carried out. Because of the infancy and underdevelopment of OHS in southern Africa, literature on the status of this topic is limited. Results: In the 4 countries under review, OHS services are a function shared either wholly or partially by 3 ministries, namely Health, Labor, and Mining. Other ministries, such as Environment and Agriculture, carry small fragments of OHS function. The 4 countries are at different stages of OHS legislative frameworks that guide the practice of health and safety in the workplace. Inadequacies in human resource capital and expertise in occupational health and safety are noted major constraints in the implementation and compliance to health and safety initiatives in the work place. South Africa has a more mature system than Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana. Lack of specialized training in occupational health services, such as <a title="Learn more about Occupational medicine" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/occupational-medicine">occupational medicine</a> specialization for physicians, has been a major drawback in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana. Discussion: The full adoption and success of OHS systems in Southern Africa remains constrained. Training and education in OHS, especially in occupational medicine, will enhance the development and maturation of occupational health in southern Africa. Capacitating primary health services with basic occupational health knowledge would be invaluable in bridging the current skills deficit. Introducing short courses and foundational tracks in occupational medicine for general medical practitioners would be invaluable.Dingani MoyoMuzimkhulu ZunguSpoponki KgalamonoChimba D. MwilaUbiquity Pressarticleoccupational health and safetysouthern Africaworker's healthoccupational health accesshealth systemsworkplace healthInfectious and parasitic diseasesRC109-216Public aspects of medicineRA1-1270ENAnnals of Global Health, Vol 81, Iss 4, Pp 495-502 (2015)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	occupational health and safety southern Africa worker's health occupational health access health systems workplace health Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
spellingShingle	occupational health and safety southern Africa worker's health occupational health access health systems workplace health Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Dingani Moyo Muzimkhulu Zungu Spoponki Kgalamono Chimba D. Mwila Review of Occupational Health and Safety Organization in Expanding Economies: The Case of Southern Africa
description	Background: Globally, access to <a title="Learn more about Occupational Health" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/occupational-health">occupational health</a> and safety (OHS) by workers has remained at very low levels. The organization and implementation of OHS in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana has remained at suboptimal levels. Inadequacy of human resource capital, training, and education in the field of OHS has had a major negative impact on the improvement of worker access to such services in expanding economies. South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana have expanding economies with active mining and agricultural activities that pose health and safety risks to the working population. Methods: A literature review and country systems inquiry on the organization of OHS services in the 4 countries was carried out. Because of the infancy and underdevelopment of OHS in southern Africa, literature on the status of this topic is limited. Results: In the 4 countries under review, OHS services are a function shared either wholly or partially by 3 ministries, namely Health, Labor, and Mining. Other ministries, such as Environment and Agriculture, carry small fragments of OHS function. The 4 countries are at different stages of OHS legislative frameworks that guide the practice of health and safety in the workplace. Inadequacies in human resource capital and expertise in occupational health and safety are noted major constraints in the implementation and compliance to health and safety initiatives in the work place. South Africa has a more mature system than Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana. Lack of specialized training in occupational health services, such as <a title="Learn more about Occupational medicine" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/occupational-medicine">occupational medicine</a> specialization for physicians, has been a major drawback in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana. Discussion: The full adoption and success of OHS systems in Southern Africa remains constrained. Training and education in OHS, especially in occupational medicine, will enhance the development and maturation of occupational health in southern Africa. Capacitating primary health services with basic occupational health knowledge would be invaluable in bridging the current skills deficit. Introducing short courses and foundational tracks in occupational medicine for general medical practitioners would be invaluable.
format	article
author	Dingani Moyo Muzimkhulu Zungu Spoponki Kgalamono Chimba D. Mwila
author_facet	Dingani Moyo Muzimkhulu Zungu Spoponki Kgalamono Chimba D. Mwila
author_sort	Dingani Moyo
title	Review of Occupational Health and Safety Organization in Expanding Economies: The Case of Southern Africa
title_short	Review of Occupational Health and Safety Organization in Expanding Economies: The Case of Southern Africa
title_full	Review of Occupational Health and Safety Organization in Expanding Economies: The Case of Southern Africa
title_fullStr	Review of Occupational Health and Safety Organization in Expanding Economies: The Case of Southern Africa
title_full_unstemmed	Review of Occupational Health and Safety Organization in Expanding Economies: The Case of Southern Africa
title_sort	review of occupational health and safety organization in expanding economies: the case of southern africa
publisher	Ubiquity Press
publishDate	2015
url	https://doaj.org/article/d59e91eb35f64934ad2c15fcccf513d7
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Review of Occupational Health and Safety Organization in Expanding Economies: The Case of Southern Africa

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