Health and Safety

Employer Cares

Following the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2006, it is obligatory for an employer to ensure the health, safety and welfare of persons from the dangerous aspects at the workplace. Employers must ensure the workplace is free from health risks and provide PPE, information, and training regarding safety measures to the employees.

The Employer must take measures to keep the workplace pollution-free by employing technical measures applied to new plants or processes in design or installation or added to existing plant or process; or by employing supplementary organisational measures.

Employers must ensure a safe working environment including its vicinity. Proper arrangements should be made to ensure safety and the absence of health risks related to the use, handling, storage, and transport of articles and substances. Provision and maintenance of a workplace that is adequate regarding facilities and arrangements for the welfare of workers is also important.

Employers should provide and maintain safe and risk-free means of access to and exit from the workplace. Workers must be well-informed of the real and potential dangers associated with the use of the substance or machinery and must be well-equipped with personal protective equipment to prevent accidents or adverse health effects.

The 2025 reform widens the scope of the law. The OSH Act now “caters for all workplaces”, removing the earlier 20-worker threshold. Employer OSH duties now apply to every workplace regardless of size, so small employers are fully covered. The amendment also strengthens the explicit obligation to maintain safe and healthy working conditions and to implement health-monitoring systems and risk-based controls.

Under the 2025 reform, every employer must establish a safety and health committee in every workplace, regardless of size, and must have a safety and health representative representing employees. Previous thresholds (20+ workers) and “on request” conditions are now removed.

While the OSH Act 2006 required the provision of first-aid, sanitary facilities, drinking water, and other health/welfare measures at workplaces, the 2025 reform broadens “occupational health services” to mental-health support, disease-outbreak management, wellness/rehabilitation programmes and must align with national health guidelines, as part of the new health-surveillance duty.

Source: §13-16, 45-55 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 2006, last amended in 2025

Free Protection

It is the responsibility of the employer to provide free protective equipment (PPE), including clothing, suitable goggles or effective screens to the workers involved in hazardous work. The type of PPE needed varies depending on the nature of the work being performed. The employer must provide adequate and suitable protective clothing and protective gear where the level of air pollution and chemical substances in a working environment exceeds the exposure limits. The right use of PPE reduces the risk of accidents and adverse effects on health.

For the workers involved in major handling of chemicals or hazardous substances that may contaminate air, water, or soil, employers must provide equipment to monitor pollution and ensure regular checks to protect plant and animal life.

It is also the duty of the employer to provide instructions for the use of personal protective equipment and make sure that they are used whenever required. The employer must provide PPE free of cost to the employees.

Source: §13(2g), 18, 19, 91 & 95(7) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 2006, last amended in 2025

Training

In accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act, it is the responsibility of an employer to provide instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure the health and safety of his workers.

Employers must provide proper training and retraining at suitable intervals for employees involved in dangerous work (like crane, work in confined places or boiler operation). The Minister may set regulations for this training.

The 2025 reform in the OSH Act replaces section 72 and related provisions to create a general duty: no person may operate any machine, plant or equipment unless trained and certified in accordance with regulations, and employers must not allow untrained/uncertified operators. Non-compliance attracts fines up to 1,000 currency points or up to 2 years’ imprisonment for both employer and operator.

Source: §13(2c), 73 & 76(10) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 2006, last amended in 2025

Labour Inspection System

The labour inspection system is present in Uganda. The Employment Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act provide for a vibrant labour inspection system .

The Commissioner is responsible for the administration of the Occupational Safety and Health Act to improve and ensure health, safety, security, and good working conditions at the enterprises, inspecting enterprises and ensuring law enforcement by appointing Inspectors.

A labour office is empowered to engage in labour inspection:

1. the enforcement of provisions relating to conditions of work and protection of workers,
2. the supply of technical information and advice to employers, employees, and their organizations
3. bringing to the notice of the Minister defects or abuses.

The national legislation provides inspectors the power to enter, inspect, and examine the work premises at any time during day or night; inspect any machinery, plant, appliance, fitting, or chemical (highly inflammable) storage of explosives in the workplace; take measurements, photographs, samples and make recordings for examination and investigation; ask for registers, documents, certificates and notices to inspect, examine and copy them; interview anyone; make all the necessary examination and inquiry; if the inspector is a medical practitioner he/she may carry out medical examinations; and may take police officer along with him/her if necessary. Labour inspector is also authorised to dismantle the substance or to subject it to any process or test if it appears to have caused or is likely to cause danger to safety and health.

Obstructing an inspector in the execution of his/her duties constitutes an offense. Obstruction includes actions such as delaying the inspector, failing to comply with their requests, withholding information required under the Act, or preventing someone from being examined at or within the workplace. Upon conviction, the employer may face a fine of up to forty-eight currency points, imprisonment for up to one year, or both.

The Inspector must not disclose any information obtained during his/her duty and keep the source of the complaint confidential.

Source: §9,10, 14 & 17 of the Employment Act of 2006, last amended 2023; §3-8 of Occupational Safety and Health Act 2006, last amended in 2023