The Minister for Gender , Betty Amongi has sounded alarm over the need to adopt technology to help create safe working environments.
Speaking during the World Day for Safety and Health at Work held at the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) in Namanve, the minister noted that investing in safety measures for workers is key but noted it is crucial that technological solutions like are embraced for this role.
“When a life is lost, someone’s livelihood is gone, but the damage goes beyond that. It harms the reputation of the company and may even lead to business closure. Compensation for injured workers also costs the company, which could have been avoided simply by providing proper safety measures,” Amongi said.
The Gender Ministry Permanent Secretary, Aggrey Kibenge said using technology can help create safe working environments.
He noted the ministry’s early adoption of digital systems for various processes and pointed to the transformative potential of AI in predicting and preventing workplace accidents.
“We are steadily adopting AI and digitisation in our efforts to improve safety standards,” Kibenge said,
Kibenge explained that AI’s ability to analyze data rapidly could identify accident patterns, and robots could handle hazardous tasks, reducing worker exposure.
The Federation of Uganda Employers’ Douglas Opio underscored the importance of using technology in ensuring safe working environments.
“The potential positive impact of AI on worker safety is enormous. Training is key, and AI can assist in creating more efficient and targeted programs,” Opio said.
The event also saw the recognition of companies demonstrating excellence in occupational safety and health including Nile Breweries LTD – Jinja Plant, Uganda Breweries LTD, and Vivo Energy Uganda were lauded for overall best practices. Category winners included Wagagai LTD (Agriculture), City Ambulance (Services), Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (Ministries, Departments and Agencies), and Vivo Energy Uganda (Energy). The top five in the industry sector were Nile Breweries LTD – Jinja Plant, Uganda Breweries LTD, Euroflex Limited, Roofings LTD, and Kenrom chemicals Uganda.