Occupational accidents, diseases on the increase

17/10/2013

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THE Workers Compensation Fund Control Board (WCFCB) has recorded an increase in the number of occupational accidents and diseases in some companies over the past six months which require compensation.

WCFCB corporate affairs and customer services manager Maybin Nkolomba said in an interview in Ndola that the institution has received 571 cases of accidents and diseases from March to date which require compensation.
He said WCFCB recorded 395 cases over the same period last year, which is a sign that safety and health measures are inadequate in most companies.
“The number of accidents that we have recorded over the past six months is too high and this accident experience is supposed to be checked by applying the best safety and health measures,” Mr Nkolomba said.
He said the majority of the accidents were recorded in the mines.
Mr Nkolomba said out of the 571 accidents recorded, 57 were fatal.
He said all the accident victims are currently receiving some form of compensation from WCFCB.
Mr Nkolomba said WCFCB is willing to avail free policies on health and safety to companies which need them.
“We want to do everything possible to ensure that we reduce on the number of accidents recorded in various institutions and that is why we want to offer these policies on health and safety but this can only be done on request,” Mr Nkolomba said.