WITHIN 100 DAYS the Barbadian workforce will fall under the Safety And Health At Work Act (SHaW), which replaces the old Factories Act.
The new legislation, to be proclaimed on or before January 1, will see provisions made for the majority of work places, all areas of economic activity, most
of which were not covered previously under the Factories Act which caters to persons working in a factory environment.
Minister of Labour and Social Security Esther Byer-Suckoo said yesterday that the act was more relevant to the workplaces today as it defined what the workplace was; also spoke to establishing safety and health policies and communities in the workplace that did not exist in the old act.
The Factories Act excluded the telecommunications, hospitality sector, information technology, office buildings, schools, commercial cleaners and distributive trades. (LK)