Labour consultant advises workers to prioritise their safety at the workplace

In Ghana, many workers face hazardous conditions that put their health and lives at risk.

The system has forced many of the workforce to prioritize their livelihoods over their safety, leaving them vulnerable to injuries, illnesses, and even death.

As Ghana marks the labor month of May, let’s explore the working conditions of the Ghanaian worker.

Midwifery is one of the specialized areas of nursing that focuses on the care of women during pregnancy, labour, delivery, and the postpartum period, as well as the care of newborns, providing a holistic approach to care.

However, several research documents have proven the stressful nature of the practice, with non-adjustable delivery beds leading to musculoskeletal disorders and health complications for the midwives.

55-year-old Madam Liticia Asaaba Atiah has been practicing midwifery for over 20 years. She, along with other colleague midwives, has suffered from spondylosis disorder during delivery due to the use of non-adjustable delivery beds in most health facilities across the country.

She demonstrated the posture in which they operate as midwives.

‘‘The bed we use for delivery is non-adjustable and it’s same in almost all facilities. This is what we have. If it is delivering the baby, you can be like this for, let’s say, ten minutes or so. But that is not all. When you bring the baby out, you have to work on the woman, especially if there is bleeding. If the woman too gets a tear, you can use one hour, depending on the degrees. The only thing you can do is to raise yourself small. Even as I’m demonstrating I’m feeling the pains at the back waistline.’’ She said.

As President of the National Association of Registered Midwives Ghana, she is concerned that younger midwives in the practice are also being affected, advocating for improved conditions of service.

‘‘Most of the midwives have retired with spondylosis. I delivered a baby of 4.3kg. And I just heard a sharp sound, and I couldn’t move again. It took me a year and over to recover before I resumed delivery again. And the younger ones are also suffering same.’’ She said.

Teaching is also one of the jobs characterized by musculoskeletal disorders. Meet 70-year-old Jonathan Lartey, aka Teacher Lash, a retired primary teacher with 30 years of experience.

He battles partial blindness as well as pain in his right arm, which he mostly used to write on the board. He has already had surgery on the left eye and is awaiting a second surgery on the right eye.

He wants employers to prioritize accommodation for teachers.

‘’Most retired teachers have stroke. We use our hands a lot to write and also cleaning the board. You see the dust enters our eyes. You see, these are some of the things so when I went to the hospital, they asked what my occupation was. And I told them I was a teacher, and I’ve taught for almost 38 years. They must work on the accommodation for teachers. That will motivate many to go to the rural communities’’. He explained

Many workers have to labour for long hours under very poor working conditions, which takes a toll on their physical and mental well-being, all while earning very low wages.

Labour consultant Austine Gamey would like the health and safety law amended while encouraging workers to use the labour law.

“If you take Section 9 of the labour Act 2003, act 651, it enjoins employers to protect the interests of working people in all respects. Now the same law under Section 11 of the same at 651, enjoins workers themselves to be conscious of their health and safety and safety of their own colleagues that they work together with.

“Our labour law says, if you are a worker, and you go to work and you see evidence or some suspicion that there is something that could lead to such a disaster, get yourself out of the working place without permission of your employer and the law says you are protected. The employer has no right to dismiss or terminate you.’’ He said.

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