THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) says it expects last Thursday's launching of Occupational Health and Safety Committees to result in a more efficient and results-oriented working environment in the Customs and Trade Administration and the Inland Revenue Department.
That is the specific aim of the committees.
The launching took place at the Customs and Trade Administration's Training Room at Main Street, Georgetown.
The committees comprises 37 staff members from both the Inland Revenue Department and the Customs and Trade Administration, with mandates to look into issues in the working environment that relate to occupational health and safety standards.
Wherever shortcomings identified the committees will look at ways of improving them and make recommendations to address those issues will be forwarded to the Commissioner General.
Minister within the Ministry of Labour Human Services and Social Security Ms. Bibi Shadick in remarks at the occasion said the focus on Occupational Health and Safety should not only be seen as having people to abide by the laws that govern the safety practices in a working environment.
But there is a more human side to the concept of occupational health and safety, which is the efficiency of persons in the working environment and how much the environment, allows for that to happen, she pointed out.
Shadick said there could be many things that inhibit people, their efficiency, and productivity and how much they are able to achieve that leads to mental and emotional stress and ultimately sickness.
She said discomfort don't only come from maybe having a bad tempered talk at work, that is only a little part of the problem that may occur in a working environment.
Discomfort could come from having to climb a stairway too steep, the use of inappropriate furniture for office use, poor lighting in the office or even office walls that are badly painted.
She noted that the Guyana Revenue Authority is the most important financial agencies in Guyana because most of the money collected in revenues goes towards running the affairs of the country.
Therefore, the staff there must have a certain level of comfort in their working environment to give of their best.
The Minister also noted that many employers do think that the idea of Occupational Health and Safety has to do only with people who work in factories and are vulnerable to industrial accidents.
Little attention is paid to employees such as typist who may be working in an office where there is a poor lighting condition, in a chair that is very uncomfortable that affects that person because of improper posture and seating arrangements.
Such a case is all part of occupational health and safety, the Minister pointed out.