Africa-Press – Tanzania. OCCUPATIONAL Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) and Tanzania Petrol Station Operators Association (TAPSOA) have agreed to partner in order to improve workplace safety and health at petrol stations countrywide.
Under the partnership, apart from doing regular inspections, OSHA would also be offering its experts for providing training and technical advice at petrol stations.
They reached the agreement during a joint consultative meeting between OSHA and members of the TAPSOA held recently in Mwanza.
The meeting saw the two parties discussing the best ways of implementing the law and regulations on safety and health at workplaces.
The meeting was officially opened by the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Parliament, Policy coordination, Labor and Employment, Youth and Disabled), Ms Jenista Mhagama.
The minister, apart from emphasizing on the two parties to effectively collaborate, explained the importance of the oil sector to the country’s economy.
“Basically, the petrol industry has contributed to bringing the country to low middle-income status. As the country we want to combat poverty and you are key stakeholders in his undertaking,” she stated.
She noted that 66 per cent of investors who have invested in petrol stations are Tanzanians and over 60 per cent of the workers are locals.
“This shows how this sector has a huge contribution to the economy and development at large, so we must protect it,” she said.
Executive Secretary of the TAPSOA, Mr Augustino Mmasi, who chaired the meeting, said if the resolutions made would be effectively implemented, the government’s objective to control risks would be met.
On her part, Chief Executive Officer of the OSHA, Khadija Mwenda, said the agreement made was upon assessment by the authority over implementation of the law and regulations on safety and health at workplace.
The authority identified shortfalls in recording risks at workplaces.
Proper collection and recording of such information help in developing proper policy over safety and health at workplaces.
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