Dear Editor,
I write to appeal to construction companies carrying on road works countrywide to adhere to safety regulations by providing Personal Protect Equipment (PPE) to their staff.
I have observed with dismay how these companies have continued exposing our Zambian youths employed in various categories to health hazards by not providing them with PPE in terms of hard hats, goggles, safety shoes, mouth pads among others.
While this is going on, those in senior positions and owners are working clad in recommended PPE attire.
Let the Road Development Agency (RDA) and Zambia Environmental Agency (ZEMA) make it a must for these construction companies to provide PPE attire to the Zambians also without fail.
Don’t abuse the Zambians by exposing them to health hazard working environments when they are actually most times the ones on the ground to do the actual works.
Zambians should not be used just as tools to advance the foreigners’ welfare just because the employment levels are scarce.
Use the down payments that you are given for the contracts to also procure correct PPE attire for the Zambians than just buying yourselves luxurious vehicles at their expense.
The Government through the Ministry of Infrastructure should also come on board to compel all those they give contracts to procure PPE attire for all the workers irrespective of gender, race and class.
Wisdom Muyunda
Chingola
