Africa-Press – Ghana. On this World Day for Safety and Health at Work (28 April 2023), the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the world’s leading chartered professional body for people responsible for safety and health in the workplace, celebrates the 10 months that have passed since the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted a safe and healthy work environment as a fundamental principle and right.
With IOSH being part of the family of Commonwealth-accredited organisations, we’re doing this by focusing on the Commonwealth’s growing commitment to developing good occupational safety and health (OSH). So, here we profile OSH professionals from 10 Commonwealth players (including the Commonwealth Secretariat, in London) – one for each month since the historic ILO adoption – to show how they’ve each ‘struck a blow’ for the ILO… and an exciting new era for OSH around the globe.
OSH torchbearer Emily shines global light on Africa
Emily Esenam Akumah – Ghana
Emily Esenam Akumah began her working life in 2007, as a student nurse. She went on to witness the after-effects of many work-related accidents and illnesses in hospital. Too many, in fact. This early experience inspired her to explore ways in which such suffering could be prevented. It proved the start of an OSH career journey that would not turn back.
Emily ‘strikes a blow’ for the ILO
Emily’s excitement for the future of OSH in Ghana and her love of driving conversations around this, particularly on policy formulation, led her to become involved in staging the Vision Zero Ghana event. This saw professionals and stakeholders from the global OSH community converge on Accra to debate OSH and the future of Africa.
IOSH supported this event and has since helped organise various stakeholder engagements, training initiatives and partnerships, developing local professional portfolios and competencies which have extended to the sub-region.
“I like to feel that I am a torchbearer, working behind the scenes to create opportunities for a safer and healthier world of work in Africa through other professionals,” says Emily.
“OSH becoming a fundamental principle and right at work is exactly what Ghana and the world needs right now.”
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