Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2017

Publication Title

Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública

Volume

41

Pages

1-6

Abstract

Neglecting occupational safety and health (OSH) can have adverse and even deadly consequences. While OSH is important in any nation, the issue is particularly concerning in developing countries, including ones in the Caribbean. The purpose of this study, which was carried out in 2012 and 2013, was to examine the reasons for an apparent fundamental lack of awareness of OSH in the Caribbean. We conducted a descriptive study, in which a questionnaire was administered, via telephone, to key policy-making representatives from six English-speaking Caribbean nations, in order to assess the current OSH environment in their countries. We also did a situational analysis of current OSH regulations and legislation within the six countries. We found that that some of the countries’ OSH laws are out of date or are limited to a certain type of industry. We also found that there is very little documentation on research on exposure to and risks from hazards and on psychological and reproductive health as related to OSH. It is recommended that these Caribbean countries both increase national OSH awareness and strengthen enforcement of OSH regulations. Additionally, further assistance and a more coordinated effort from intergovernmental bodies could help build and fortify OSH systems in the Caribbean.

Comments

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/

ORCID

0000-0001-8094-261X (Akpinar-Elci), 0000-0002-1516-5700 (Olayinka)

Original Publication Citation

Akpinar-Elci, M., Nguyen, M., Randall, M., Bidaisee, S., Elci, O., Olayinka, O., & Guzman, J. R. (2017). Assessment of current occupational safety and health regulations and legislation in the Caribbean. Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública, 41, 1-6.

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