St Joseph’s Vocational Training Institute was once in an appalling security situation. The institute no formalized occupational health and safety management plans. There were no emergency exits in their workshops, they had no protective gear such as helmets, overalls, steel cap boots and so on.

The institute had multiple entry points and thus anyone could get in and out of the institute without notice. The cooking areas were in dire state, food handling was inefficient, there were no emergency kits such as fire extinguishers and first aid boxes, waste management was lacking, sanitation facilities were lacking and so on.
Following the analysis exercise of the organizational environment in occupational health and safety at the institute, a course in Occupational Health and safety among other interventions was recommended.

OHS training participants tour the institute workshop to identify health and safety risks
This course focuses on the social, mental and physical well-being of workers in all occupations raising awareness on unhealthy or unsafe working conditions thus aiming at decreasing work-related accidents and diseases.

“The risks have so far been cut to over half,” As Geoffrey Oromcam the course trainer confirms after a tour of the institute workshops. There is now only one entry point to the institute with a fence built around the institute and only one open gate. Workshop lay out has improved at the institute. There are signs on safety in place in the workshops, garbage disposal has greatly improved with colored bins put in place, and emergency exits have been put in place in workshops among other changes.

Tumusiime Edward Moses a participant in the training says, “I have at least changed how I was operating. I didn’t have any fire protection equipment, but now I do, although using manual methods such as sand.’’ “I have also trained my staff on how best to act in case of an emergency.’’ He adds.

Muhangi Peter, who works as an instructor in the mechanical department adds onto Edwards testimony that he has learnt how to use PPEs (personal protection equipment), and to identify hazards in the workshop. He also agrees that there are numerous safety hazards in their workshops but now that they can identify them, the problem is half way solved.
 
Magezi Francis, an instructor in Mechanical engineering at the institute also has a lot to say about the training. He has learnt how best to use PPEs. To himself and his students, personal safety comes first. Musinguzi Solomon proudly talks about how this training has improved on his work. “This training has helped me a lot. If you visit my workshop now, you will find it very organized,’’ he adds.

However, to some beneficiaries of the training, change is yet to come.
“If you visited my workshop now, it is in a mess, but after this training today, I am going to sit down and put it in order in as far as safety is concerned,” says Ben Mulogwa an MCP at the institute.

On a whole, the knowledge has been passed on to the training participants. Despite the challenges the participants are faced with, they are optimistic and will do whatever they can to ensure they improve safety in the workshops to reduces health risks to them and their students.