The Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), the nation's main power distributor, has intensified its industrial safety measures to protect its vital equipment and personnel from injury and destruction during fire outbreaks. In line with this, the company has tasked its technical audit committee to facilitate the setting up of Work Area Safety Committees (WASACOs) in all its locations by the end of March, next year. The committees would be mandated to ensure that safety rules and regulations are strictly enforced at all its stations. In addition, it has committed itself to/make available adequate personal protective equipment, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and first aid facilities. Already, the company has procured interactive safety training modules for both maintenance and non-maintenance staff and these include back safety, work-place ergonomics, transmission line safety and safety at switchyards. The Chief Executive of GRIDCo, Mr Charles Darku, made this known in a speech read on his behalf during a staff durbar held at the Tamale area office as part of the company's Safety Awareness Week Celebrations. The event, which was marked on the theme "Emerging risks and new patterns in the power sector", is staged annually to reinforce adherence to safety guidelines in the company, as well as engage in activities to promote the health of the staff. Mr Darku noted that GRIDCo was intensifying its safety interventions, particularly because the company was modernising and expanding its transmission system infrastructure with new equipment and would, therefore, need to keep its workers abreast of the safety requirements regarding the operation of these equipment. He mentioned, for instance, that the company was developing 330kV transmission lines and substations between Tema and Takoradi and noted that the company had begun training its representatives and co-ordinators in these areas in basic safety training. Mr Darku said the management had resolved to have regular and continuous review of the jobs and workplace to identify emerging threats and what could endanger the safety, security and health of the workers and infrastructure. As part of the Safety Awareness Week celebrations, personnel of the Tamale area office undertook a health walk and organised health talks on issues regarding hypertension, diabetes and prostate cancer. They also undertook a cleanup exercise at the Tamale Children's Home and later presented some assorted items to the home, including baby food supplements, detergents, toiletries and food items. Source: Daily Graphic