The Volta River Authority (VRA) has celebrated the 2014 Safety Awareness Day in Accra, on the theme: “Infections: prevention and control; Start with your Environment”.

Mr Martin Adjoe, Accra Area Safety Coordinator of the VRA, said the celebration of the safety awareness day was to help create safety awareness among staff members of VRA and reinforce the observation of high standards of workplace safety, health and environmental practices.

He said the theme for the celebration was chosen to respond to the emerging dangerous and contagious infections, including Cholera and the threat of Ebola in Ghana.

Mr Adjoe said the surest way of preventing and controlling such infections was through the proper care of the environment and its resources.

He recommended the creation of more safety awareness programmes among staff and visitors at all VRA’s locations, by displaying more safety instruction Signages, and the training and empowerment of safety representatives.

In a speech, read on his behalf, Mr Kirk Kofi, Chief Executive Officer of VRA, said the Authority was committed to working with partners and other stakeholders to prevent the spread of infections among its staff.

He said as a way of helping to prevent the spread of infections among staff, the Authority had provided readily accessible hand washing facilities and warm hand driers at their offices.

He said the rate of death being recorded as a result of the outbreak of Cholera and Ebola made it imperative for everybody to stay alert and observe strict personal and environmental hygiene.

Mr Koffi urged the staff to cultivate the habit of properly washing their hands with soap or using sanitisers, as they were effective ways of preventing infections.

Dr Samuel Peter Ato Davies, a Medical Officer from Akosombo, in a lecture, said another way of preventing infections was through the adherence of good housekeeping and waste management practices, adherence to sterilisation and disinfection, and food service staff being compelled to comply with guidelines.

Awards were given to operational and non-operational branches of the VRA, who performed creditably in the work area safety.

Two other distinguished staff were given special awards and citation for being courageous and helping to quench a fire outbreak at one of the offices of the Authority.