Ministry of Labour Suspends Four Construction Sites in West NP

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NASSAU , BAHAMAS – The message from the Department of Labour is clear that cutting corners on safety will not be tolerated.

Over the past two weeks, inspectors halted work at four construction sites in western New Providence after discovering serious breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Sharon Moss – Senior Safety Officer, Department of Labour Occupational Safety and Health Unit

“The inspectors went out into the field last week, where we visited a few construction sites in the western district of New Providence. Upon entering those construction sites, we observed several breaches as they relate to the Health and Safety at Work Act.”

The violations were widespread. Inspectors found workers without proper personal protective equipment, forklifts being operated unsafely, missing hazard signage, and a lack of basic emergency preparedness, including hand-washing stations, fire extinguishers, and first aid kits.

Senior Safety Officer Sharon Moss says some workers were also immediately removed from the job sites.

Sharon Moss – Senior Safety Officer, Department of Labour Occupational Safety and Health Unit

“The persons who did not have on the proper personal protective equipment were removed from the site. The reason we removed them is because, as you are aware, there have recently been several industrial accidents, and one life lost is just too many.”

The enforcement push comes as the country continues to reel from a series of tragic industrial accidents.

Last month, a young construction worker lost his life after falling from a roof beam at a site near Prince Charles Drive.

In January, an excavator operator was killed when tons of rubble collapsed around him.

And just this month, a 31-year-old man was seriously injured in an industrial accident aboard a vessel near Bimini.

For the Department of Labour, the recent loss of life has made one thing clear: safety cannot be an afterthought. Officials say every rule is written in response to real dangers, and they will not take chances when lives are on the line.

Sharon Moss – Senior Safety Officer, Department of Labour Occupational Safety and Health Unit

“Right now, we cannot take any chances because if we go to a site and allow unsafe conditions to continue, and an industrial accident happens, that is unacceptable. It is our job as inspectors to remove any worker from a site who is not properly geared.”

Moss also reminded employers that every industrial accident must be reported to the Department of Labour’s Occupational Safety and Health Unit, which is responsible for enforcing the law and ensuring workplaces remain safe.

Sharon Moss – Senior Safety Officer, Department of Labour Occupational Safety and Health Unit

“Every industrial accident should be reported to the Department of Labour Occupational Safety and Health Unit. Our job as inspectors is to enforce the Health and Safety at Work Act and ensure no violations are committed.”

With The Bahamas moving to strengthen its workplace safety standards, the Department of Labour says it is also expanding its enforcement efforts. Officials hope to grow the Occupational Safety and Health Unit to 30 inspectors before the end of the year, a move they believe will help keep more workers safe and prevent future tragedies.