The Factories Act and Regulations is the primary governing law for workplace health and safety in Grenada. It provides a baseline for health, safety, and welfare across industries. The regulations include Factories (Sanitary Accommodation) Regulations, Factories (Welfare) Regulations, Factories (Electricity) Regulations, and Factories (Lifting Tackle) Regulations.

The Employment Act outlines the establishment and functions of the Department of Labour. The Accidents and Occupational Diseases (Notification) Act mandates reporting and recording of any accidents, diseases, or dangerous occurrences at work. The National Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Policy for the State of Grenada outlines Grenada's commitment to safe and healthy working conditions and alignment with international standards. The Public Health Act (Cap. 263) includes provisions relating to sanitation, food hygiene, and the prevention of nuisances to safeguard public health.

Employer Responsibilities

Employers in Grenada have a "general duty of care", obligating them to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees in the workplace. This entails providing safe systems of work, maintaining safe working environments, controlling hazards and risks, providing information, instruction, training, and supervision (IITS), providing personal protective equipment (PPE), and consulting with employees.

Employee Rights

Grenadian workers have several rights to ensure their safety within the workplace. These include the right to know, the right to participate, and the right to refuse dangerous work.

Government and Regulatory Bodies

The Department of Labour inspects workplaces, investigates accidents, and enforces health and safety laws. The Sanitary Authority (Public Health Act) oversees sanitation and public health measures, including aspects relating to work environments.

Specific Provisions

Grenada's health and safety legislation covers various aspects, including workplace welfare, fire precautions, machinery safety, electrical safety, and hazard communication.

Occupational health and safety is a critical aspect of any workplace. It involves maintaining sanitary conditions, ensuring adequate ventilation and temperature, providing sufficient lighting, controlling noise levels, and offering welfare facilities.

Sanitation

Clean and sanitary work environments are essential. This includes specific requirements for toilets, washing facilities, and the disposal of waste.

Ventilation and Temperature

Employers must ensure adequate ventilation and reasonable workspace temperatures to prevent heat stress and other health risks.

Lighting

Sufficient lighting is required to enable safe work practices and prevent eyestrain.

Noise

Regulation exists to protect workers from excessive noise levels that could lead to hearing damage.

Welfare Facilities

Provisions for drinking water, rest areas, and first-aid facilities are necessary.

Hazard Prevention and Control

Risk Assessment

Employers have a duty to identify hazards, assess the risks they pose, and implement control measures. Risk assessments should be ongoing, and procedures must be updated as situations change.

Specific Hazards

These include fire safety, chemical hazards, machinery safety, electrical safety, and biological hazards. Employers must identify these hazards, provide necessary safety measures, and train employees in safe handling.

Employee Involvement and Training

Worker participation is emphasized, with employers required to consult and involve workers in developing and implementing safety procedures. Safety committees may be established to facilitate cooperation between workers and management. Employers must also provide employees with information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary to perform their tasks safely.

Incident Reporting and Record Keeping

Employers are required to report serious accidents, injuries, and dangerous occurrences. They must also maintain records of work-related accidents, injuries, and illnesses, as well as training records and exposure monitoring data.

Workplace inspections are a crucial tool used by Grenada's Department of Labour to enforce safe working environments. These inspections aim to identify and assess hazards, ensure compliance, educate and provide guidance, and deter non-compliance.

Inspection Criteria

Labour Inspectors in Grenada utilize a broad set of criteria during inspections. These focus on general workplace conditions, fire safety, machinery and equipment safety, chemical hazards, electrical installations and practices, specific industry hazards, and record-keeping.

Frequency of Inspections

Inspection frequency is influenced by factors like the risk profile of the industry or workplace, complaints or reported safety concerns, and the Department of Labour's resources and the number of inspectors.

Inspection Procedures

The inspection process usually involves a notice, an opening meeting, a walkthrough inspection, a closing meeting, and a written report. In some cases, inspectors may give advance notice of an inspection, but unannounced visits are also permitted.

Follow-Up Actions

After the inspection, employers are given a timeframe to rectify any hazards or non-compliance issues. Inspectors may conduct follow-up visits to verify that corrective actions have been taken. Enforcement actions can range from improvement notices to administrative fines or, in severe cases, prosecution.

Employers are legally obligated to report workplace accidents that result in loss of life, disablement for more than three days, or involve dangerous occurrences. These reports must be filed with the Department of Labour, usually within a specific timeframe.

Investigation Procedures

Depending on the severity of the accident, representatives of the Department of Labour may visit the workplace to conduct an investigation. The purpose of these investigations is to determine the cause of the accident, identify any breaches of safety regulations, and recommend measures to prevent future occurrences. Both employers and employees are obligated to cooperate with these investigations.

Compensation Claims

In Grenada, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) provides compensation for workplace injuries or occupational diseases. To be eligible, the employee must be a registered contributor to the National Insurance Scheme. Employees must submit claims, typically to their nearest NIS branch, and supporting documentation may be necessary, such as medical records. Compensation can include medical expenses, temporary or permanent disability benefits, and survivor benefits in case of death.

Key Responsibilities

Employers are responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, providing safety training to employees, providing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), reporting workplace accidents promptly, and cooperating with investigations. Employees, on the other hand, are responsible for following safety guidelines, using PPE correctly, reporting unsafe conditions or hazards, and participating in safety training.

Additional Considerations

More severe injuries might necessitate additional legal steps outside of the NIS compensation process. It's also essential for employers to meticulously maintain records of all workplace accidents, no matter how minor, for reporting and analysis purposes.