by HPIHealth Promotion International trained in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)
HPI was among the 30 Ugandan Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that underwent a three-month training in the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards under the auspices of the Employment and Skills (E5D) initiative by GIZ, a German development agency.
The standard was issued by the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH), an independent British body.
NEBOSH certification is a component of a bigger ISO 45001:2018, an occupational health and safety management systems standard issued by the International Standards Organisation (ISO).
Catherine Tumusiime, the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC)’s chief human resource officer, told the SMEs that gathered at Hotel Africana in Kampala, that health and safety standards contribute 10% to the technical evaluation of a company during the bidding process.
“However little the 10% may appear, you will not be considered if you do not have health and safety systems in place,” Tumusiime said.
Thozama Gangi, the Eskom managing director, said the training would open doors for participants beyond the oil and gas sector.
She said at Eskom, health and safety standards contribute 25% during the technical evaluation when a company is seeking to get tenders from Eskom.
Mr. Honey Malinga, the acting Petroleum Director in the Energy Ministry, said the training would enable Ugandan firms get contracts in the lucrative oil and gas sector.
“We had always envisioned ourselves taking advantage of the opportunities in the oil and gas sector, but we did not know how we would penetrate the sector,” Dr. Judith Tukacungurwa, the Executive Director of Health Promotions International, said.
