By Kingsley Webora TANKEH
To mark this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work, the Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Practitioners Association of Ghana (SHEQPA-GH) has held its inaugural national conference.
World Day for Safety and Health at Work is celebrated every year on April 28. It is a UN international day about safe work and awareness of the dimensions and consequences of work-related accidents and diseases.
Themed ‘Revolutionising health and safety: The role of AI and digitalisation at work’, the event provided a platform for practitioners, policymakers and industry leaders to examine how emerging technologies can reshape workplace safety and risk management.
As part of activities to mark the day, a training was conducted for general managers of mines in Ghana to apprise them of emerging technologies with AI capability that will help minimise fatalities and injuries at mining sites.
President-Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Practitioners Association of Ghana, Akua A. Berantuo-Armooh, underscored the need for collaboration to promote safety.
“Safety practitioners alone cannot do it without the support of general managers. For us, we are looking forward to collaborating with industry leaders to understand our role and their roles as leaders to prevent fatalities and injuries on site,” she stressed.
The event also brought in exhibitors who put some of these sophisticated equipment and AI-powered tools on display for industry leaders to appreciate the benefits of integrating AI tools into their health and safety systems.
Vehicle-vehicle interaction being one of the major risks at mining sites, Akua A. Berantuo-Armooh, urged industry players to employ AI tools to promote less human involvement, “considering the size of equipment we work with”.
“We want all industries to take advantage of the technology that is coming up. We are expecting each site to have modern technologies that will help prevent fatalities at sites,” she added.
By analysing incident reports and using sensors, AI can identify patterns and predict potential hazards, which will allow some time for planning and implementing preventive measures to save lives.
Mobile applications and wearable devices can also empower employees to report hazards, access safety protocols and receive instant feedback.
While making a presentation on the theme ‘Revolutionising health and safety: the role of AI in the digitalisation of work’, Dr. Koduah Dapaah, Managing Partner for K+MNJ Consults, urged industry leaders to treat safety supervisors well to encourage them to do their best. “Safety is like sweeping water uphill; when you stop, it flows back,” he advised.
“By investing in innovative safety solutions,” he said, “we can ensure that our workforce is not only compliant but competent in navigating the complexities of their roles.”
Chief Inspector of Mines at the Minerals Commission, Richard Kofi Adjei, called for collaboration between industry players to promote a safe working environment at mining sites.
“By working together, we can share best practices, develop industry standards and create a unified vision for health and safety that leverages technology to it’s fullest potential,” he emphasised.
He stressed that: “Technology is not a replacement for human judgement. It is a tool that enhances our capabilities”.
Alluding to the fact that incorporating AI technology can be capital intensive, Mr. Adjei stated: “The immeasurable outcome is worth the price”.
“We can make money from our corporation, but we cannot make humans from our budgets,” he continued, urging safety and health practitioners not to be carried away by productive bonuses.
He urged them to be reminded that “we have lives to preserve”.
