New Occupational Health Law Extends Protection to All Workers
Zambia has expanded Occupational Health and Safety protection to workers across all sectors of the economy following the enactment of the Occupational Health and Safety Act No. 16 of 2025.
Ministry of Labour and Social Security Permanent Secretary Zachariah Luhanga said the new legislation broadens occupational health and safety protection beyond the mining sector to cover all sectors of the Zambian economy.
Mr. Luhanga said every worker, regardless of the sector in which they operate, deserves to work in an environment that is safe, healthy and conducive to productivity.
He was speaking during a stakeholder engagement on the implementation of the new Act and the development of regulations and sector-specific guidelines.
Mr. Luhanga said the new Act replaced the previous occupational health and safety legislation and was assented to by President Hakainde Hichilema on December 23, 2025.
He said stakeholder consultation was critical in developing regulations that would effectively support implementation of the legislation.
Mr. Luhanga said Government had been guided to ensure that legislation was properly subjected to stakeholder consultation before implementation.
“Successful implementation of the new Act cannot be achieved by Government alone,” he said.
Mr. Luhanga said employers, workers, trade unions, industry associations, professional bodies and other stakeholders all had a role to play in ensuring effective implementation of the law.
He said occupational health and safety was also important to Zambia’s economic development ambitions because a healthy workforce was necessary for increased productivity.
Mr. Luhanga said workers needed to be physically, psychologically, socially and emotionally healthy to effectively contribute to national development.
He further said the new legislation extended protection to vulnerable groups operating within the formal sector, describing the provision as an important development in Zambia’s occupational health and safety framework.
Meanwhile, Occupational Health and Safety Institute (OHSI) Director General Dr Martha Chakulimba said the mining sector remained an important area of focus because of the occupational risks associated with mining activities.
Dr Chakulimba said the stakeholder engagement brought together representatives from the Chamber of Mines and the Federation of Small-Scale Miners.
She described the Chamber of Mines as one of the more mature sectors in occupational health and safety, saying other sectors could learn from its experience.
However, Dr Chakulimba said small-scale mining continued to face serious occupational health and safety challenges.
She said physical hazards such as rockfalls remained a concern, while the use of toxic substances, including mercury in gold processing, presented emerging health risks.
Dr Chakulimba said Zambia had made progress in workplace safety, particularly in established mining operations, but more attention was needed on occupational health and safety in small-scale mining.
She said the situation required action to ensure that people engaged in mining activities were adequately protected.
Dr Chakulimba also cited international statistics indicating that about three million workers die globally each year from work-related causes.
She said the figures demonstrated the scale of the occupational health and safety challenge and the need for concerted action.
Mr. Luhanga said Government was supporting the Occupational Health and Safety Institute as it expands its physical presence across the country.
He said preparations were underway to establish additional offices, while Government was also considering stronger collaboration between OHSI and the Ministry of Health.
He said accredited public health facilities could complement existing occupational health services and help bring services closer to workers.
Mr. Luhanga said sector-specific regulations and guidelines would help address the different occupational risks found in industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, construction, transport, banking, retail and mining.
He urged stakeholders to continue participating actively in the consultation process to ensure that the regulations were practical, inclusive and effective.
He said the ultimate objective was to strengthen prevention, reduce workplace injuries and diseases, improve compliance and contribute to sustainable economic development.
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