Employees of Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) in Labasa have been encouraged to share their concerns and suggestions to their employer.

Commissioner Northern Jovesa Vocea, while opening the World Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Day celebration at FSC multipurpose court on Thursday, said this should be done to ensure a transparent and mutual consultation process.

“This is the key to continuous improvement in the workplace with regards to overcoming stress,” Mr Vocea said.

“This year’s theme for OHS day is ‘Workplace Stress – A Collective Challenge’.”

Stress is a collective challenge because it affects not only the worker but individuals and society around him, he said.

“To overcome this challenge we must work together to eliminate or minimise this silent killer.

“Stress as defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is the harmful physical and emotional response caused by an imbalance between the perceived demands and the perceived resources and abilities of individuals to cope with those demands.

“I applaud FSC Labasa in taking the initiative to sacrifice a day’s work to celebrate OHS day,” he said.

“This indeed portrays the commitment by the management and workers towards safety and I firmly believe that FSC has set the wheels in motion for other organisations to follow in years to come.”

Fiji Sugar Corporation Labasa mill chief engineer and OHS committee chairman, Tevita Ravulo said they began celebrating OHS Day from last year.

“It is very important for us to celebrate this day to encourage our employees to continue to maintain zero accidents and OHS regulations at the mill,” Mr Ravulo said.

Currently there are 320 employees at the mill and during the crushing season there are usually more than 500 employees.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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