The Effectiveness of the Occupational Health and Safety Act in Protecting Employees in Uganda. A Case Study of Kampala District

TABLE OF CONTENT

DECLARATION ··········••c••························ ............................................................. 1

APPROVAL ................................................... , .................. ~··································••

DEDICATION .................................................................................................... 111

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ....................................................................................... IV

LIST OF ACRONYM ............................................................................................. v

LIST OF REGULATIONS. ················································"··································vi

LIST OF CASES ................................................................................................. vii

TABLE OF CONTENT ........................................................................................ viii

ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................ xii

CHAPTER ONE .................................................................................................... 1

1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................... 1

1.0 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND .............................................................................. 1

1.1.1 PRE-COLONIAL ............................................................................................. 1

1.1.2 COLONIAL ERA ............................................................................................. 2

1.1.3 POST COLONIAL -TO DATE ........................................................................... 5

1.2.0 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ...................................................................... 6

1.2 .1PURPOSE OF STUDY ..................................................................................... 7

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY .............................................................................. 7

1.3.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVE OF STUDY .... : ............................................................... 7

1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES .................................................................................. 7

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS .................................................................................... 8

1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY ............................................................................................ 8

1.5.1 GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE ................................................................................. 8

1.5.2 CONTENT SCOPE .......................................................................................... 9

1.5.3 TIME SCOPE ................................................................................................. 9

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY ................................................................................ 9

1.7 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................. 10

viii

1.8 LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................... 11

1. 9 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................ 23

CHAPTER TWO: ···················································································••a•••••••••• 24

THE LAW GOVERNING OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH AND ITS

EFFECTIVENESS IN PROTECTING EMPLOYEES IN UGANDA ........................... 24

2.1 INTRODUTION .............................................................................................. 24

2.2 EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT 2006 IN

PROTECTING EMPLOYEES IN UGANDA ................................................................. 26

2.2.1 DUTY TO PROTECT EMPLOYEES, ................................................................. 26

2.2.2 EMPLOYERS' DUTY TO PROVIDE PROTECTIVE EQUIPr"lENTS ........................ 28

2.2.3 DUTY OF EMPLOYER TO PROVIDE TRAINING TO EMPLOYEES ....................... 29

2.2.4 CLEAN ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................ 30

2.2.5 PROVISION OF MECHANICAL DATA SHEETS ................................................. 30

2.2.6 DUTY TO DISPLAY SAFETY GUIDELINES ...................................................... 31

2.2. 7 SAFE PREMISES AND ACCESS ...................................................................... 31

2.2.8 DUTY OF THE MANUFACTURER TO PROVIDE PRE-TEST ARTICLES ................ 32

2. 2. 9 BUILDING AT WORK PLACE ......................................................................... 33

2.2.10 EMPLOYER'S DUTY TO PROVIDE GOOD VENTILATION ................................ 34

2.2.11 DUTY TO PROVIDE FIRST AID AT WORK PLACE ......................................... 35

2.2.12 PROVIDING CON FORT ABLE FACILITIES ..................................................... 35

2.2.13 EMPLOYER UNDER A DUTY TO PROVIDE A GOOD WORKING ENVIRONMENT

.......................................................................................................................... 36

2.2.14 FENCING OF DANGEROUS MACHINERY AND DANGEROUS EQUIPMENT$ ..... 37

2.2.15 DUTY TO PROVIDE CHEMICAL DATA SHEET ............................................... 38

2.2.16 PROTECTION FROM LIFTING APPLIANCES ................................................. 39

2.3 CONCLUSSION ............................................................................................... 40

CHAPTER THREE:···························~································································· 41

OTHER LAWS THAT PROMOTE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY . ......... 41

ix

3.0 INTRODUCfiON ............................................................................................ 41

3.1 NATIONAL LAWS ........................................................................................... 41

3.1.0 INTRODUCfiON .......................................................................................... 41

3.1.1 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA 1995 ................................... 42

3.1.2 LABOUR UNION Acr 2006 ........................................................................... 43

3.1.3 EMPLOYMENT Acr 2006 .............................................................................. 44

3.1.4 THE LABOUR DISPUTES (ARBITRATION AND SETTLEMENT) Acr .................. 45

3.1.5 THE WORKERS COMPENSATION Acr NO 8 OF 2000 ..................................... 45

3.2 INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS .................................................................... 47

3.2.0 INTRODUCfiON .......................................................................................... 47

3.2.1 THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL

RIGHTS ( 1966) .................................................................................................... 47

3.2.2 INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION ................................................... 48

3.2.3 THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS ........ 48

3.2.4 UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (1948) ................................. 49

3.3 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................ 49

CHAPTER FOUR: ......................................••...•....•............................................. 50

CHALLENGES FACED IN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OCCUPATION SAFETY

AND HEALTH ACT IN PROTECIING EMPLOYEES IN UGANDA ......................... SO

4.0 INTRODUCfiON .............................. : ............................................................. 50

4.1 INADEQUATE FACILITATION OF LABOUR OFFICERS ........................................ 50

4.2 NON-RECOGNITION OF LABOUR UNIONS ....................................................... 51

4.3 NON-FUNCfiONING OF THE INDUSTRIAL COURT ........................................... 52

4.4. INFORMALIZATION OF LABOUR .................................................................... 54

4.5. LACK OF CAPACITY TO ENFORCE THE LAW ................................................... 55

4.6. DUAL RECOGNITION ..................................................................................... 56

4.7. UNEMPLOYMENT .......................................................................................... 56

4.8 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................ 57

X

CHAPTER FIVE: ························•m••···································································· 58

RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS ..................................................... 58

5.0 INTRODUCfiON ............................................................................................ 58

5.1 RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................... 58

5.1.0 GOVERNMENT ............................................................................................ 59

5.1.1 APPOINT MORE DISTRICf LABOUR OFFICERS ............................................. 59

5.1.2 FUNCfiONING OF THE INDUSTRIAL COURT ................................................ 59

5.1.3 CONCLUDING OF LABOUR REGULATIONS .................................................... 60

5.1.4 INCREASE FUNDING TO THE MINISTRY ....................................................... 60

5.1.5 STRENGTHENING OF OSH DEPARTMENT ..................................................... 61

5.1.6 ELIMINATION OF CHILD LABOUR ................................................................ 62

5.2 I RECOMMEND EMPLOYERS TO DO THE FOLLOWING ...................................... 62

5.2.1 RECOGNITION OF LABOUR UNIONS ............................................................ 62

5.2.2 HIV /AIDS .................................................................................................... 63

5.3 I RECOMMEND WORKERS TO TAKE UP THE FOLLOWING MEASURES ............... 63

5.3.1 APPLYING INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY ..................................................... 63

5.3.2 MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO POPULARIZE AND WIDEN DEBATE ON THE NEW

LABOUR LAWS .................................................................................................... 64

5.3.3 WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE FEDERATION OF EMPLOYERS (FUE) ............. 64

5.3.4 STRENGTHENING ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY ........................................... 64

5.3.5 ORGANIZING IN THE FORMAL SECfOR AND POSSIBILITY OF MERGING ....... 65

5.3.6 ORGANIZING THE INFORMAL SECfOR ......................................................... 65

5.3.7 EDUCATION OF NEGOTIATORS ................................................................... 67

5.4 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................ 67

REFERENCES ....................................................................................................... 69

TEXT BOOKS ..................................................................................................... 69

REPORTS ........................................................................................................... 70

APPENDICES ................. ~·······················~·························································· 72