KINGSTON - As the world celebrates Occupational Safety and Health Month, the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) kicked off its participation with an inter-departmental banner competition, held on Thursday March 31, 2016.
The event, which featured participation by six of DHBC’s departments, was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Protection. These departments were DHBC’s Asphalt Plant; the Traffic Department;Workshop/Electrical Department; the Stores Department; Maintenance Department; and the Accounts Department.
During the opening of the competition, DHBC’s General Manager, Rawlston Adams, noted that the observation of Occupational Safety and Health Month was important, particularly to DHBC. He said that the corporation is one focused on various works that constantly place employees at risk.
“There are always risks in the workplace so it’s important that occupational safety and health (OSH) is observed at all times,” Adams emphasised. He added that DHBC will play its part in ensuring the safety of its employees and recently updated work outfits to better fit international OSH standards.
For the competition, the departments were required to come up with unique banners highlighting this year’s theme, “Workplace stress: a collective challenge”. The competition featured three judges who graded the created banners in a number of areas, including originality, creativity, presentation, colour scheme, and use of theme and other pertinent OSH materials.
At the conclusion of the event, the Stores Department was determined the overall winner and was awarded $30,000 and a trophy after a vote by the judges broke a tie with the second place winner, the Asphalt Plant Department. The second place department was awarded $20,000 and a trophy. Third place went to the Accounts Department.
The judges all agreed that the task of determining the winners had been difficult since the banners were all eye-catching. Chief Judge, Gweneth King of the Ministry of Social Protection, congratulated all of the participants and urged them to come bigger and better next year.
Similarly, General Manager Adams thanked the departments for their participation and particularly their interest and enthusiasm. The winning banner will represent DHBC when it participates in the Occupational Safety and Health Month walk being held tomorrow, Sunday April 3, 2016, by the Ministry of Social Protection.
