Safety Campaign Ghana Urges Public To Treat Safety As An Everyday Responsibility

Safety Campaign Ghana has called for greater public awareness of safety risks in homes, workplaces and public spaces, saying safety should be treated as a way of life rather than an issue limited to industrial environments.

The non-profit organisation said its work focuses on educating the public about everyday hazards while helping young graduates develop careers in health, safety and environmental management.

Charlotte Abena Benyarku and Eng. Henry Ato Sackey said the organisation had been running safety education programmes since 2022.

According to them, Safety Campaign Ghana uses webinars, mentorship programmes and community campaigns to promote safety awareness.

Its weekly webinars bring industry professionals to discuss issues such as fire safety and other safety concerns affecting the public.

The organisation also runs a six-month mentorship programme for fresh graduates and young professionals interested in developing careers in safety.

However, its safety awareness campaigns extend beyond professionals and workplaces.

 Eng. Sackey said safety risks exist everywhere, including homes, on roads and in public spaces.

“The awareness is for the public. If you’re at home, we are telling you, you have to work safely so that you don’t get hurt,” he said.

He said people need to understand basic safety measures when performing everyday activities, including cooking and handling household equipment.

At workplaces, safety professionals help organisations identify hazards, conduct risk assessments and establish procedures to prevent injuries and accidents.

But outside formal workplaces, Safety Campaign Ghana believes individuals also need basic knowledge to recognise and manage risks. The organisation has therefore been taking its campaigns into communities and different sectors.

As part of its mentorship programme, mentees have been required to visit mechanic and artisan shops to conduct risk assessments.

They observe activities, identify potential hazards and return to the businesses to provide safety education on ways to reduce those risks.

The organisation said this approach is intended to extend safety education to informal workplaces where formal safety procedures may not always be in place.

It has also been involved in road safety campaigns in collaboration with other organisations, including activities in Obuasi. Abena said the organisation plans to continue its road safety campaign this year.

Safety Campaign Ghana also covers food safety and other areas of public safety, rather than focusing only on major industrial hazards.

The organisation said its work is particularly important because people encounter risks throughout the day, from the moment they leave home until they return.

For young people interested in pursuing safety as a career, the organisation said opportunities exist in several areas.

These include safety management, environmental management, quality management and sustainability. It said almost every company requires safety expertise to identify workplace risks, establish procedures and ensure compliance.

The organisation currently focuses its six-month mentorship programme on fresh graduates and young professionals, generally those with one to three years of work experience.

Those with longer work experience may not qualify for the core mentorship programme but can participate as volunteers and receive other forms of guidance.

Safety Campaign Ghana said it is also working to create opportunities for people without a background in safety through its planned three-month mentorship school.

The programme will introduce beginners to basic concepts in health, safety and environmental management before they proceed to more specialised mentorship.

The organisation said its ultimate goal is to make safety awareness more widespread across Ghanaian communities and workplaces.