THE Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) has provided training on fire safety and prevention to 50 female food vendors in Arusha Region.

The training organized in collaboration with Geita Gold Mining Limited (GGML) was meant to educate the women on how to respond to various fire disasters and implement fire prevention measures.

Training beneficiaries were also given 50 units of liquefied petroleum gas to encourage them to abandon the use of wood and charcoal and shift to the use of clean energy.

The training was delivered during the national commemorations of the World Health and Safety at Work Day, hosted by OSHA. This year's exhibition is being held in Arusha from 23 to 30 April.

Elizabeth Mtile, OSHA health inspector, advised Tanzanians to adhere to the various safety and health laws and guidelines at the workplace.

“Our slogan which highlights the effects of climate change on safety and health at work, aims at controlling disasters and changes in climate by involving every group in society because the impacts affect us all,” she said.

Dr Kiva Mvungi, GGML senior manager for health, safety and environment, said that the company had decided to provide education to food vendors so that they could combat fires at home and focus on safety in their business areas, especially considering that they are the source of many interactions.

“We teach them how to fight fire disasters because their daily activities are related to fire issues and the use of charcoal and gas,” he said.

“It is also important to recognise the impact of climate change on people and the role of personal behaviour in contributing to the reckless cutting of trees.”

He said that the effects of climate change affect everyone regardless of social standing, size or position, and that it is therefore beneficial for everyone to focus on the use of clean energy to overcome the disasters caused by the changes.

“We have prepared this education to see how to deal with the effects of climate change because excessive cutting of trees causes soil erosion, floods and global warming,” he said.