Sep 18, 2026
3 min read
More than 3,000 workplace inspections have been carried out across Guyana so far in 2026, as the Labour Ministry moves to tighten enforcement following a string of fatal workplace accidents.
Labour and Manpower Planning Minister Keoma Griffith disclosed the figures during the recent commissioning of the Occupational Safety and Health Centre of Excellence at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute in Region Six, noting that the Ministry has already exceeded its annual target of 2,000 inspections by 1,000, within the first five months of the year.
"At the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning, we have intensified our work because we care about the safety and health and well-being of our labour force," Griffith said.
"And so we said, for 2026, we want to reach at least 2,000 targets. We have already surpassed that by 1,000, so we've already had over 3,000 health and safety inspections," he disclosed.
Griffith's comments come against the backdrop of recent workplace accidents, including the death of a Cuban national at a construction site in Georgetown and a separate incident at Houston, where a metal scaffold came into contact with a high-voltage power line, killing one worker and injuring two others.
He said while investigations, compensation and expressions of sympathy are important, none can restore a life lost, underscoring the need for greater emphasis on prevention.
Griffith added that the recent workplace tragedies should strengthen the country's resolve to improve occupational safety and health practices, ensuring prevention remains central to workplace decisions.
He stressed that workplace safety is a shared responsibility involving workers, employers, suppliers and company directors.
"Safety is not a sign of weakness, and wearing protective equipment does not make a worker less skilled or less capable. Workers must recognise their responsibility to protect themselves and their colleagues, to use equipment provided, and to act responsibly in the face of known hazards," Griffith said, noting that the law also gives workers the right, in prescribed circumstances, to refuse work where they believe there is imminent and serious danger to life or health.
Griffith also highlighted the Ministry's "Putting Safety First" campaign, which he said has already taken occupational safety education to every region.
"This programme we intend to run in every single high-risk sector in this country until everybody approaches safety as a priority," Griffith said.
He added that the Ministry's efforts extend beyond the inspectorate, as it continues to examine the broader occupational safety and health system in Guyana.
