Proposed Bill to change regulatory framework for OSH

The oversight and regulation of occupational safety and health in Kenya is set to undergo a major transformation if the Occupational Safety and Health Bill 2019 is enacted into law. 

According to the cabinet secretary for labour, Simon Chelugui, the bill is currently being reviewed by Treasury and if no objection, it will be forwarded to the cabinet for approval. The bill seeks to amend the current Occupational Safety and Health Act 2007 as well as certain provisions of the Workplace Injuries Benefit Act (WIBA) 2007

The CS was speaking on Wednesday when he officially opened a meeting for the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH) at a hotel in Nakuru.

According to the bill, the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services (DOSHS), the body currently mandated to ensure compliance to the OSHA 2007 and WIBA 2007 will be transformed into the Occupational Safety and Health and Injury Compensation Authority (OSHICA). 

The bill also proposes the establishment of the Occupational Injury compensation Fund to address the compensation of occupational injuries and diseases.

It may however be a long wait before the bill is enacted into law and proposed changes are implemented. A separate bill, the Occupational safety and Health Practitioners bill 2016 is yet to be presented to Parliament for discussions since being drafted in early 2017. The bill proposes provisions for training, registration of occupational safety practitioners and regulation of OSH practice to ensure high standards and proper conduct of practitioners.