Occupational safety and health profile in Kenya

The profile is an inventory of all the tools and resources available in the country to implement and manage occupational safety and health (OSH) and is designed to provide the data necessary for setting national priorities for action aimed at the progressive and continual improvement of workplace safety and health.

Policy | 01 October 2004
The OSH profile is an essential initial step in the process of building a good national OSH programme. It is a key tool in the application of systems management approach to OSH. The profile can be used not only as a basis for identifying priorities for action but also as a tool for measuring progress over time through its periodic updating. By identifying gaps and weaknesses, it is a key tool for continual improvement of the national OSH system. Part V of ILO Recommendation on the promotional framework for occupational safety and health, (No. 197), 2006, includes a detailed list of the elements that should be covered in the national profile. National profiles are very useful for the ILO to better focus its technical cooperation assistance programmes and projects in this area.

Outline of the National Profile: national regulatory framework; national competent authorities; inspection and enforcement systems; consultation, coordination and collaboration mechanisms; national review mechanisms; training, information and advisory services and mechanisms; occupational health services; OSH laboratories; social security, insurance schemes and compensation services; educational, training and awareness raising structures; specialized technical, medical and scientific institutions; overall national level of human resources active in the area of OSH; statistics of occupational accidents and diseases; policies and programmes of employers’ and workers’ organizations; regular and ongoing activities related to OSH; international cooperation; general country data; other relevant information; elements for input in the situation analysis.