Laboratory Risks: Laboratory environments are hazardous, exposing workers to various potential hazards: chemical, biological, physical, radioactive, and musculoskeletal stresses.
Right to Safety: Health and safety is a guaranteed right under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
Main Statutes Governing OHS in Ghana
Labour Act 651 (2003): Establishes labor rights and OHS standards.
Factories, Offices, and Shops Act 328 (1970): Regulations for workplaces.
Workman’s Compensation Law PNDC Law 187 (1987): Compensation provisions for injured workers.
International Labour Organization (ILO) Standards:
Radiation Protection, 1960 (ILO No. 115) ratified in 1961.
Other Relevant Regulations:
Mining Regulations LI 665 (1970)
EPA Act 490 (1994)
Ghana Health Service and Teaching Hospital Act 525 (1996)
Atomic Energy Commission Act 588 (2000)
Public Health Act 851 (2012)
Petroleum Commission Oil and Gas OHS policy: LI 2258 (2015).
Fragmentation of Laws: There is fragmentation in existing laws, compounded by the lack of a national policy on occupational health and safety (OHS).
HIERARCHY OF CONTROLS
Purpose: Occupational safety and health professionals use the