Guyana strengthens OSH capacity as ILO–NEBOSH project moves into implementation

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (ILO News) – Guyana has taken an important step towards strengthening the systems that protect people at work, with government, employers’ and workers’ representatives completing four days of technical training and consultation under a new occupational safety and health project being implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UK-based National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH).

The combined workshop which ran from 21-24 July, 2026 was a major implementation milestone for the project, Strengthening Occupational Safety and Health Systems in Guyana, which will support the country in updating its legal and policy framework, building institutional capacity and improving the prevention and management of workplace risks. The project responds to the changing demands of Guyana’s economy, particularly in expanding and higher-risk sectors such as oil and gas, construction, mining and agriculture.

The start of activities was marked by an official project launch ceremony on 21 July 2026, hosted by the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning in partnership with the ILO and NEBOSH. Speaking on behalf of the NEBOSH, Mariyah Mandhu, Manager for Social Development, said the partnership aimed to extend beyond formal project outputs. “All projects in our social purpose programme are designed to reduce risks, accidents and deaths in the workplace,” she said. “It is through projects like this one that we can improve occupational safety, health and well-being and essentially create a safer world.”

Joni Musabayana, Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean, emphatically reminded participants that, “a safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental right at work. It means that protecting workers’ physical and mental health is not optional. It is not a luxury. It is a right.” He also made the point that effective prevention requires collective action. “When workers and employers engage and dialogue, risks are identified earlier, solutions are more practical and implementation is more sustainable and durable,” he said.

The Hon. Keoma Griffith, Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning expressed gratitude for the partnership stating, “it reflects a shared commitment to protecting human life and closely aligns with our collective belief that economic development must never come at the expense of workers' safety, dignity, or well-being.”

“Growth must not only create more jobs, it must create better, safer jobs, because every worker who leaves home to earn an honest living deserves the certainty of returning home safely to their family. Safety is therefore not an expense. It is an investment in productivity and sustainable development.” Hon. Keoma Griffith, Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Guyana.

A tripartite foundation for implementation

At the launch, Certificates of Appointment were also formally presented to several designated members of the National Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH). The Council brings together representatives of government ministries and agencies, trade unions, employers’ organizations and other private-sector institutions. It is chaired by Chief Labour Officer Aslim Singh on behalf of the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning. NACOSH is one of the principal national institutions through which the ILO and NEBOSH will support further implementation. Its advisory and coordinating role will be central to planned work on the national OSH profile, policy and programme, legislative reform, sector-specific regulations and capacity-building.

From knowledge to stronger institutions

The workshop combined technical knowledge transfer with discussion of how Guyana’s OSH institutions can work more effectively together. Participants learned of the ILO Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health 2024–30 and its particular relevance and application to Guyana. The ILO facilitators also detailed the principles of the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155), and the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187).

Sessions further covered OSH management systems, hazard identification, risk assessment and control, psychosocial risks and safety in construction and agriculture. Participants considered the roles of labour inspection and workplace safety and health committees, as well as the reporting, recording and investigation of occupational accidents and diseases.

Participating institutions included the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning, the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry, the Guyana Trades Union Congress, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana, the Guyana Public Service Union and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry. They were also joined by members of NACOSH and Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) officers from several private sector companies. The participants were engaged in discussions on national OSH conditions, priority challenges and reforms needed to modernize the system in Guyana. This crucial consultation was intended to help ensure that future project activities are informed by practical workplace experience and have broad national ownership.

At the conclusion of the workshop, 27 participants representing the tripartite constituents received certificates of completion.

© Royston Khalil, Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning, Guyana

© Royston Khalil, Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning, Guyana

“The value of this activity lies not only in transferring technical knowledge, but in strengthening the relationships and institutional arrangements needed to apply it. By bringing government, employers and workers together, the workshop supports a more coordinated national system and equips NACOSH to help translate consultation into sustained implementation.” Ariel Pino, ILO Social Protection and Occupational Safety and Health Specialist

As Guyana’s economy and workplaces continue to change, stronger laws must be matched by capable institutions, informed employers and workers, and effective cooperation among them. The workshop has provided an early foundation for the project’s wider work by strengthening technical knowledge, coordination and tripartite ownership. Through continued support to the Ministry, NACOSH and the social partners, the ILO and NEBOSH will help Guyana advance practical reforms that enable its occupational safety and health system to keep pace with economic growth and emerging workplace risks.

The next steps of the project will concentrate on the elaboration of the National OSH Profile and the gap analysis for the ratification of the Convention No. 187. These activities will provide invaluable information for the update of the National OSH Policy and programme and the update of the OSH Act.