The government has ordered Windhoek’s Hochland Park Woermann Brock branch to close.
It has ordered that retail as well as construction operations at the store should be halted due to health and safety concerns.
The Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation on Wednesday said the branch was ordered to stop operations from 30 July until all hazards are removed.
The decision was taken in compliance with regulations relating to the health and safety of employees at work, the ministry said.
The ministry’s acting executive director, Aune Mudjanima, said severe safety breaches were discovered at the branch, which included exposing employees and customers to hazardous conditions.
This was caused by combining retail operations with construction work, neglecting risk assessments, failing to provide essential personal protective equipment, and disregarding notification requirements for construction activities.
“The ministry has recommended remedial actions that Woermann Brock has to implement in order to address non-compliance. Further, it should be inspected and verified for its readiness to resume its operations by the ministry’s labour inspector prior to resumption,” Mudjanima said.
She said employers are solely responsible for their workers’ safety and health, adding that the ministry will strictly enforce applicable labour laws against any employer compromising worker safety.
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