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Labour and Social Security Minister, Brenda Tambatamba, has urged companies in the country to make workplace safety paramount, saying it is the foundation of national productivity and sustainable economic growth.
Tambatamba said occupational safety and health was not an optional corporate exercise but a legal obligation that protects workers against physical harm and exposure to hazardous substances.
The Minister was speaking during a courtesy visit paid on her office by Chilanga Cement Chief Executive Officer, Chai Jianping in Lusaka on Friday.
She said the government expected all companies, especially those operating in high-risk sectors, to adopt a proactive, preventive and systematic approach to occupational safety and health.
Tambatamba encouraged Chilanga Cement to work proactively with the Occupational Safety and Health Department (OSH) under the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
“We must desist from having a reactive approach to matters of safety and health. Instead, we must be proactive; engaging the OSH Department before accidents occur,” the Minister said.
The Minister further emphasized government’s broader economic agenda anchored on productivity, job creation and value addition.
“Work is not visitation at your place of work; it’s about delivering a product for the country’s economic growth. Work starts from the community; hence President Hakainde Hichilema is promoting the culture of work through cooperatives,” she said.
Chilanga Cement reported exceptional progress in safety, announcing that all major projects undertaken over the past three years were completed with zero lost-time injuries.
In his remarks, Mr Jianping said teams in production, maintenance and laboratory operations had been sent for specialized training in Tanzania and Malawi, while Zambian experts in Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) and legal affairs had provided technical support to sister operations across Africa and the Middle East.
The delegation assured the Minister that Huaxin Group remained committed to long-term, sustainable investment in Zambia and will continue maturing to make Chilanga Cement the leading cement producer in the country, while preserving its decades-old legacy.
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