Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
LABOUR AND Social Security Minister Derrick Kellier has ordered the Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd. (JPS) to submit a comprehensive safety programme for all its power plants by May 22.
The Gleaner has been informed that the Labour Minister gave the directive on Monday during a meeting with the light and power company.
The meeting was held to discuss the findings of the report into the enquiry of the deaths of three JPS employees last September.
"The minister was firm on the measures to be taken," said Alvin McIntosh, Permanent Secretary in the Labour Ministry.
MUST MEET INT'L STANDARDS
Mr. McIntosh said the safety measures must meet the standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). He said the company was also directed to outline a time frame for when the safety measures would be implemented.
"Our focus is to make sure that all the JPS plants are safe for workers," Mr. McIntosh said.
Last September, Owen Townsend, 41, Woodford Brown, 34, and Arthur Williams, 60, who were stationed at the company's Old Harbour power plant in St. Catherine, died after inhaling a hazardous gas while carrying out duties at the plant. Two other employees were also treated at hospital.
Subsequent to the deaths, the Labour Ministry ordered a probe into the accident. However, to date, the findings of the probe have yet to be made public due to an outstanding tissue sample which was sent to the Government's forensic lab.
But last month, Mr. Kellier told Parliament's Standing Finance Committee, considering the 2006/2007 Estimates of Expenditure, that he had received the report and would be making the findings public soon.
Yesterday Mr. McIntosh again made that promise, but pointed out the report was being discussed with the company so it could address its safety practices at its plants.
