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UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 1

Safe 110D Introduction to Health & Safety, Hazards and Laws
Module 2 Occupational health and Safety in Trinidad and Tobago


Module 2

Occupational Health & Safety Legislation of Trinidad
and Tobago
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Historicalbackground
TrinidadwassightedbyChristopherColumbusin1498.AfteryearsofSpanishrule,the
islandwasseizedbytheBritishin1797.Tobago,afterchanginghands22times,was
cededtoBritainin1814,andattachedtoTrinidadin1888,toformasingleBritishCrown
colony.
Aftertheabolitionofslaveryin1838,aneedforcheaplaborpromptedtheBritishto
introduceEastIndianstotheislandsasindenturedlaborers.MigrationfromMadeira,
SierraLeone,Europe,IndiaandChinafollowedthisintroduction,accountingforthe
presentethnicmixinpopulation:EastIndian(alocalterm-primarilyimmigrantsfrom
northernIndia)40.3%,black39.5%,mixed18.4%,white0.6%,Chineseandother1.2%.
Theindenturedlaborsystemlasteduntil1917.
Thedepressionofthe1930sledtoaseriesofstrikesandriots,strengtheningagrowing
labormovementontheislands.In1946,theBritishgranteduniversalsuffrageandtook
measurestoinstituteself-government.In1962,TrinidadandTobagoachievedfull
independenceandjoinedtheCommonwealth.
In1976,aRepublicanconstitutionwasadopted,replacingtheQueenasHeadofState
withaPresidentelectedbytheParliament.EricWilliamsbecamePrimeMinisterand
remainedinthispostuntilhisdeathin1981.

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UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 2
Safe 110D Introduction to Health & Safety, Hazards and Laws
Module 2 Occupational health and Safety in Trinidad and Tobago


OccupationalHealth&SafetyAct,2004
UntilthepassingofthisAct,occupationalsafetyinTrinidadandTobagowasdetermined
byaFactoriesOrdinance1950.Thiswasoldcoloniallegislationandonlycovered
workersinfactories.OSHA2004dealswiththesafety,healthandwelfareofpersonsat
workandcoversallworkers,withtheexceptiondomesticworkers.OSHA2004was
amendedbytheOccupationalHealth&Safety(Amendment)Act,2006butthiswas
largelyatidyingupexercise.
WhilstwelcomingOSHA,thetradeunionmovementhasgenerallybeencriticalofthis
legislationforthelackofaneffectiverolegiventotradeunionsundertheAct.
ThefollowingSubsidiaryLegislation,whichwasmadeundertheFactoriesOrdinance,
continuestobeineffect:
*OccupationalSafetyandHealth(PrescribedForms)Order(GN187-1948)
*Distillery(Safety)Regulations(GN213-1946)
*BoilersRegulations(GN2-1949)
*SpecialProvisionsforSafetyintheCaseofAirPressureContainers(GN3-1949)1949
*OccupationalSafetyandHealthCleaningofMachineryinMotion(GN109-1949)
*WoodworkingMachinery(GN152-1949)
*OccupationalSafetyandHealth(Electricity)Regulations(GN61-1951)
*OccupationalSafetyandHealth(Welfare)Regulations(GN62-1951)
*ElectricAccumulator(ManufactureandRepair)Order(GN184-1974)
*OccupationalSafetyandHealth(ProtectiveMeasures)Regulations(GN210-19577)
ThefollowinglawsarerepealedbySection98(1)ofOSHA:
*TheFactoriesOrdinance
*EmploymentofWomen(NightWork)Act
*TheGasCylinders(Use,ConveyanceandStorage)Act
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UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 3
Safe 110D Introduction to Health & Safety, Hazards and Laws
Module 2 Occupational health and Safety in Trinidad and Tobago


KeyFeaturesoftheNewLegislation

Widensthecategoriesofworkers
OSHAcoversmostworkersinallaspectsofworkundertakenin
anindustrialestablishment

IndustrialEstablishmentfactory,shop,office,placeofworkor
otherpremisesbutdoesnotincludepremisesoccupiedfor
residentialpurposesonly;orothercategoriesofestablishment
exemptedbytheMinisterinaccordancewiththisAct.

Promotesvoluntarycompliance
Ashifttostrongerself-governancebyemployersandworkersand
amoreregulatoryrolebyGovernment

IdentifiesabroadrangeofresponsibilitiesforanumberofAgents
Dutiesareoutlinedfor:
-Employers-Suppliers
-Employees-SelfEmployed
-Occupiers-Designers
-Manufacturers-Importers

Promotesconsultationsbetweenemployersandworkersorganizationon
occupationalsafetyandhealthissues

Forestablishmentswith25employeesormore
employerstoestablishajoint(tradeunion/employeeand
employer)SafetyandHealthCommitteetoreviewhealthand
safetymeasuresandinvestigatemattersconsideredtobeunsafe
orarisktohealthattheindustrialestablishment
OSHpolicytobedevelopedjointlybyemployers/occupiersand
workersrepresentatives
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UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 4
Safe 110D Introduction to Health & Safety, Hazards and Laws
Module 2 Occupational health and Safety in Trinidad and Tobago

Empowersinspectorstotakeenforcementandlegalactions
Inspectorscan:
Enter,inspect,examineandtakesamplesfromanyindustrial
establishment
Serveprohibitionorimprovementnotices
Initiatelegalproceedingsagainstpersonsinbreach
oftheAct

EstablishestwoentitiesfortheadministrationofOccupationalSafetyandHealth
PartsXIIandXIIIprovidesfortheestablishmentof:
TheOccupationalSafetyandHealthAuthoritywhichwas
establishedinOctober2006
TheOccupationalSafetyandHealthAgencyestablishedinAugust
2007

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UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 5
Safe 110D Introduction to Health & Safety, Hazards and Laws
Module 2 Occupational health and Safety in Trinidad and Tobago


SummaryofLegislation

GeneralDutiesEmployers1

Toensuresofarasreasonablypracticable,theHealthSafetyandWelfareofall
employees:
Safeplantandsystemsofwork.
Safeuse,handling,storage,transportationofequipment,machinery,articles,
substances
Provisionofanyrequiredinformation,instruction,trainingandsupervision.
Safeplaceofwork,safeaccess,egress.
SafeworkEnvironment,welfarefacilities.
Prepareawrittensafety&Healthpolicytogetherwithorganizationand
arrangementsifmorethan25employees.

BreachofDuties-Employer
BreachesofpregnancyprovisionsdeterminedinIndustrialCourt.
Contraventionofprovisionsoftheactisasafety&healthoffencesubjecttothe
jurisdictionoftheIndustrialCourt.
AggrievedpartiesmayseekredressintheIndustrialCourt.

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UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 6
Safe 110D Introduction to Health & Safety, Hazards and Laws
Module 2 Occupational health and Safety in Trinidad and Tobago


DutiesofEmployees
Takereasonablecareforsafetyandhealthofselfandotherswhomaybe
affected.
Cooperatewithemployerintermsofcompliancewithemployer'sduties.
Notundertheinfluenceofanyintoxication.
ReporttoemployerbreachesofAct,regulations.
UsecorrectlyPPE/protectivedevices.
NotinterferewithormisuseH,S&Witems.
NOTUNDERTAKEANYWILLFULACTSCAUSINGDEATHORCRITICAL
INJURY

FINESINCASEOFDEATH&INJURY

Sub-section86(1)fineofonehundredthousanddollars,oranamount
equivalenttothreeyearspayofthatpersonwhicheverisgreaterthewholeor
partmaybeappliedforthebenefitofthevictimorofhisestateorotherwiseas
theCourtmaydecide.
FailuretocomplywithSection10(1)isasafetyandhealthoffenceandwillbe
determinedintheIndustrialCourt.

ForwillfulactscausingdeathorcriticalinjuryS10(2),employeeisliabletoafine
of$10,000onsummaryconviction.

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UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 7
Safe 110D Introduction to Health & Safety, Hazards and Laws
Module 2 Occupational health and Safety in Trinidad and Tobago


PartIVSafetyProvisions

S.220Provisionoftraining,supervisionofyoungpersonsworkingon
dangerousmachinery.
S.23Protectiveclothingordevicesofapprovedstandardswithinstructions.
S.24Removalofdustsandfumes.
S.25Provisionsforconfinedspaceentry.
Safeguardingprimemovers,transmissionmachineryanddangerouspartsof
machinery.
Cleaningofmachinery.
Appropriatehealthsurveillance.

PartVFireProvisions

S26.1Provisionofadequatemeansofescapeincaseoffire,basedonrisk
assessment.
S27.1Safetyprovisionsincaseoffire.
Adequatefirefightingequipment

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UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 8
Safe 110D Introduction to Health & Safety, Hazards and Laws
Module 2 Occupational health and Safety in Trinidad and Tobago


PartVIIHealthProvisions
S.31Cleanliness
S.32RespiratoryProtection
S.33-Lighting,preventionofglare,shadows
S.34NoiseandVibration
S.35preventionofOvercrowding
S.36Suitableventilation

PartVIIWelfareProvisions
S.39-41Drinkingwater,washingfacilities,sanitaryconviencestobeprovided.
S.42Firstaidboxesundercontrolofresponsiblepersonstrainedinfirstaid.
S.45Provisionofrestroomsandlunchroomsineveryfactory.

SafetyandHealthCommittees
Makerecommendationsaboutthehealthandsafetyorpersonsintheworkplace.
SeekassistancefromtheChiefinspectorasneeded.
Conductworkplaceinspections.
ReviewriskassessmentsandControlPrograms.

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UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 9
Safe 110D Introduction to Health & Safety, Hazards and Laws
Module 2 Occupational health and Safety in Trinidad and Tobago


Module 2: Occupational Health and Safety legislation in T& T

1. Outline the role of the employees under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
2. Why is it important to know the health and safety regulations that deal with your type of work?
3. What does a permit to work allow?
4. What are the legal responsibilities as an employer?
5. Identify breaches and fines attached to breaches of the OSH Act of Trinidad and Tobago.