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M. Nathai-Balkissoon:Towards Compliance with the OSH Act of Trinidad and Tobago

34
ISSN 1000 7924

The Journal of the Association of Professional Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago
Vol.40, No.1, April/May 2011, pp.34-43

Towards Compliance with the OSH Act of Trinidad and Tobago:
Gap Analysis of a Food and Beverage Manufacturing Enterprise
Marcia Nathai-Balkissoon
National Training Agency, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
E-mail: [e-mail]
(Received 11 January 2011; Revised 29 March 2011; Accepted 30 April 2011)

Abstract: The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of Trinidad and Tobago (2004), as amended, charges local enterprises with the duty to protect the safety, health, and welfare of employees and others who may be affected by company operations. In October 2010, the new Chairman of the Board of Directors of the OSH Authority put companies on notice that enforcement of the OSH Act will now be a priority. This places the onus on companies to map their current state – in terms of strengths, compliance, and shortcomings – against the requirements of the OSH Act, in order to develop and implement a plan to achieve full compliance. This paper presents the findings of an OSH Act gap analysis of the systems and practices of a local food and beverage manufacturing company. While findings would vary from firm to firm, this paper would be useful to local companies as it notes several common areas of concern for their managers and employees. Also, the paper’s recommendations may be adoptable or adaptable by those local companies and may help to improve their OSH management systems, in compliance with the OSH Act. Additionally, where codes of practice and guidelines have been developed to supplement and support the legal OSH requirements in many first world nations, it is recognised that local safety practitioners and company leaders bemoan the shortage of materials outlining how to achieve compliance with many of the

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