By Fanuel Chinowaita
As Zimbabwe commemorated World Safety and Health Day on June 6, the message from labour leaders was unmistakable: workplace injuries and deaths should never be accepted as part of earning a living.
Addressing workers, trade union leaders and stakeholders during the commemorations, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) Acting President delivered a powerful call for collective action to eliminate workplace hazards under the theme, “Zero Harm Through Collective Action: Safe Work Today, Safe Work Tomorrow.”
The address painted a sobering picture of the realities faced by many Zimbabwean workers while also offering a vision of a future where every employee returns home safely after a day’s work.
Rejecting the Normalisation of Workplace Injuries
For generations, workplace accidents have often been treated as unfortunate but inevitable consequences of industrial activity. The ZCTU’s message challenged this deeply entrenched mindset.
“There is nothing normal about a worker leaving home healthy and returning injured,” the Acting President said. “There is nothing acceptable about a family losing a breadwinner because profit was placed above human safety.”
The speech underscored that workplace accidents are not random events. Most result from identifiable hazards, inadequate safety measures, poor enforcement of regulations, or neglect by employers.
The call for “Zero Harm” was therefore framed not merely as an aspirational slogan but as a fundamental workers’ right rooted in dignity and the sanctity of human life.
The Hidden Cost of Economic Survival
Zimbabwe’s difficult economic environment has placed enormous pressure on both employers and employees. However, labour unions argue that economic hardship should never justify compromising worker safety.
Across sectors such as mining, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, transport, and the informal economy, workers continue to face significant occupational risks.
Many operate without adequate personal protective equipment. Others work with outdated machinery, endure excessive working hours due to understaffing, or face exposure to hazardous chemicals and dust. Increasingly, workers are also dealing with psychosocial stress linked to job insecurity and precarious employment conditions.
The mining sector remains particularly concerning. According to statistics presented during the commemorations, 64 fatalities were recorded in the mining industry between January and March this year alone, while 1,236 workers sustained injuries across various economic sectors nationwide.
Behind every statistic lies a human story — families losing breadwinners, communities losing productive members, and workers facing lifelong disabilities that could have been prevented.
Collective Action as a Lifeline
At the centre of the ZCTU’s message was the belief that workers cannot achieve safer workplaces individually.
“A single worker cannot challenge unsafe systems without collective support,” the Acting President noted. “A lone voice can be ignored, but the united voice of organized workers cannot be silenced.”
Trade unions argue that collective action empowers workers to identify risks and demand accountability without fear of victimisation.
This approach includes establishing effective workplace safety committees, encouraging employees to report hazards freely, negotiating robust occupational safety provisions through collective bargaining agreements, and supporting workers who refuse to perform tasks that place their lives at risk.
The relationship between union strength and workplace safety is well documented globally. Where workers have meaningful participation in safety decisions, injuries and fatalities tend to decline because hazards are identified and addressed before tragedy strikes.
Extending Protection Beyond Formal Employment
One of the most significant aspects of this year’s commemorations was the emphasis on workers in Zimbabwe’s vast informal economy.
Millions of Zimbabweans earn livelihoods outside formal employment structures as street vendors, artisanal miners, domestic workers, farm workers, contract employees, and platform workers. Many operate without any meaningful occupational safety protections.
The ZCTU argued that occupational safety and health should not be viewed as privileges reserved for formally employed workers.
“The right to safety belongs to every worker regardless of employment status,” the Acting President emphasized.
This position reflects the changing nature of Zimbabwe’s labour market, where informal employment increasingly constitutes a significant portion of economic activity. Without deliberate policy interventions, millions remain vulnerable to unsafe working conditions with limited legal recourse.
The Push for Stronger Legislation
Labour leaders used the occasion to renew calls for stronger enforcement of existing occupational safety laws and the urgent enactment of the Occupational Safety and Health Bill (H.B. 6, 2025).
The proposed legislation is expected to modernize Zimbabwe’s occupational safety framework by strengthening inspections, improving coordination among institutions, and enhancing worker participation in safety mechanisms.
Trade unions expressed optimism that the Bill would foster greater collaboration between the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, the National Social Security Authority (NSSA), and worker representatives during workplace inspections.
For unions, legislation alone is insufficient unless backed by effective implementation. Increased labour inspections, meaningful worker involvement, and strict accountability mechanisms remain essential components of achieving safer workplaces.
Safety as an Investment, Not an Expense
A recurring theme throughout the address was the challenge to employers to rethink their approach to workplace safety.
Too often, safety measures are viewed through the narrow lens of financial cost. However, labour advocates contend that the costs associated with workplace injuries — medical expenses, compensation claims, productivity losses, reputational damage, and human suffering — far outweigh investments in prevention.
“Human life cannot be measured against production targets or profit margins,” the Acting President said.
This perspective aligns with international occupational health principles that recognize safe workplaces as drivers of productivity, employee morale, and sustainable economic growth.
Emerging Risks in a Changing World
The future of work presents both opportunities and new challenges.
Technological advances, including digitalisation and artificial intelligence, are reshaping industries and creating new forms of employment. At the same time, climate change is exposing workers to extreme weather conditions, while biological hazards and non-traditional employment arrangements introduce unfamiliar risks.
Labour leaders acknowledged that occupational safety strategies must evolve accordingly.
Traditional approaches focusing solely on physical hazards are no longer sufficient. Worker education, continuous training, and stronger organisational capacity will be necessary to confront emerging threats effectively.
The struggle for safe workplaces, they argued, is dynamic rather than static.
A Vision Worth Fighting For
Ultimately, the World Safety and Health Day commemorations served as both a reflection on present challenges and a rallying call for future action.
The vision outlined was straightforward yet profound: a Zimbabwe where no worker dies while trying to earn a living; where employers uphold safety standards; where government institutions effectively enforce labour laws; and where every worker returns home safely after every shift.
Achieving that vision will require commitment from government, employers, trade unions, and workers themselves.
As the Acting President concluded, such a future “will not be handed to us. It will be won through solidarity. It will be won through organization. It will be won through collective action.”
In a country where economic pressures often overshadow workplace welfare, the call for “Zero Harm Through Collective Action” serves as a reminder that decent work is inseparable from safe work.
Because, as trade unionists have long maintained, an injury to one is an injury to all.