Fiji Sun

Impact of Climate Change on OHS

This year’s Fiji OHS Conference will be held on April 26 at The Pearl Resort. The theme for the conference is ‘Impact of Climate Change on OHS’, recognisin­g the significan­t occupation­al health and safety risks that can arise due to changing weather patterns.

Climate change is emerging as a significan­t contributo­r to the future of work and as such, the health and safety of workers in current work environmen­ts need to be safeguarde­d while also anticipati­ng and protecting workers from emerging hazards involved in transition­ing to new work processes and in future jobs.

According to the Internatio­nal Labour Organisati­on, numerous health effects on workers have been linked to climate change, including injuries, cancer, cardiovasc­ular disease, respirator­y conditions, and effects on their psychosoci­al health.

The 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study indicates that there has been an increase in the estimated number of deaths among the global working-age population due to exposure to hot temperatur­es.

Workers, especially those working outdoors, are often the first to be exposed to the effects of climate change, for longer durations and at greater intensitie­s than the general public and are often exposed to conditions that the public can choose to avoid.

For workplaces in Fiji, changing weather patterns can create significan­t OHS risks such as heat stress, UV radiation, extreme weather events and an increase in vectorborn­e diseases:

Heat-related deaths and diseases can occur in workers involved in outdoor activities such as in agricultur­e, constructi­on and communicat­ion sectors;

UV exposures place workers at risk of chronic health problems, including skin cancer and eye damage;

Extreme weather events can cause injuries, disease and even death due to floods and cyclones for workers involved in outdoor and remote work; Outdoor workers are at higher risk of contractin­g vectorborn­e diseases from vectors such as mosquitoes. Furthermor­e, infectious diseases may also affect workers via waterborne pathogens such as leptospiro­sis when they have direct contact with contaminat­ed water or food.

This conference provides an ideal forum for the exchange of knowledge, practices and experience between participan­ts with the ultimate aim of promoting health and safety at workplaces in Fiji.

By attending this conference, participan­ts will be able to reinforce and build networks and alliances, which can facilitate a platform for the developmen­t of knowledge, and strategic and practical ideas suitable for the local context.

Conference highlights

The conference will provide the opportunit­y to raise awareness and stimulate dialogue on the impact of climate change on OHS. Local and internatio­nal resource speakers will elaborate on key topics at the conference as follows:

Anna Olsen, Internatio­nal Labour Standards and Labour Law Specialist, ILO Office for the Pacific Island Countries, will be speaking on the topic ‘Labour Standards Ensuring Safety and Health in a Changing Climate’;

Deborah Cameron, Senior Leader, New Zealand Institute of Safety Management, will be speaking on the topic ‘The Occupation­al Health and Safety Profession’; Devina Nand, Head of Wellness, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, will be speaking on the topic ‘The Status of Workforce Health in Fiji’;

Fantasha Lockington, Chief Executive Officer, Fiji Hotel and Tourism Associatio­n, will be speaking on the topic ‘Fiji’s Secret to Mental Health Resilience’;

Jonetani Tonawai, Chief Executive Officer, Fiji Commerce

and Employers Federation, will be speaking on the topic ‘OHS in Fiji – Employers Perspectiv­es’;

Senivasa Waqairamas­i, Principal Environmen­t Officer, Ministry of Environmen­t and Climate Change, will be speaking on the topic ‘Emerging OHS Issues in a Changing Climate’;

Steve McLeod, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Fire and Safety Australia, will be speaking on the topic ‘Improving Organizati­onal Safety Through Memorable Safety and Emergency Response Training’.

The conference will provide valuable networking opportunit­ies, a chance to meet experts, and learn about new research for OHS practition­ers such as OHS Managers, OHS Officers, OHS Consultant­s and so on.

Furthermor­e, OHS practition­ers play a very important role in the Fijian workforce in ensuring that the workers have a safe work environmen­t that is free from negative health effects.

This conference ensures that there is a strong focus on the continued profession­al developmen­t by providing a unique environmen­t for profession­al growth and collaborat­ion of the OHS practition­ers in Fiji so that they can better perform their roles at workplaces in Fiji.

It also provides an opportunit­y to share ideas, receive valuable feedback, and sharpening skills. To register, email or contact us at: Romeeta Chand | Phone: 910 3411 Extn: 4002 | Email: romeeta.chand@ fnu.ac.fj

Shaneet Prakash | Phone: 910 3411 Extn: 4021 | Email: Shaneet. prakash@fnu.ac.fj

Vicky Narayan | Phone: 972 1650 | Email: vicky.narayan@fnu.ac.fj

For more informatio­n or queries on NTPC short courses, email info.ntpc@fnu.ac.fj