Government is in the process of beefing up Bermuda's workplace safety regulations and it is calling on all employers to become involved in the process.

The Health and Safety Office has developed a discussion paper with 16 proposed new regulations to protect the overall health of the Island's workers.

And it is seeking feedback on the proposals from local businesses and employees.

After this data is collected and analysed Government will hold public forums to educate the public about the impending changes, Health and Safety Officer Doris Foley told The Royal Gazette.

The public can access the workplace safety discussion paper on the Internet (www.healthsafety.bdagov.bm.) and forward comments to the office by e-mail (healthnsafetybdagov.bm.).

Ms Foley said that proposed new regulations were developed through a tripartite committee of Government, business and trade unions and that the new regulations should bring Bermuda up to international standards.

The regulations cover a broad range of workplace safety issues - from ergonomically correct chairs to handling of hazardous materials - Ms Foley said.

Government will be accepting submissions on the regulations until the end of the month.

She said that submissions are starting to trickle into the office but she expects the volume will increase significantly as the deadline approaches.

Key to the success of the workplace safety amendment will be the establishment of safety committees in every workplace.

"In essence we're trying to prompt employers to be responsible," Ms Foley said.

She said that employers should be training employees to run their own safety committees and empowering these committees to make changes.

When staff are protected and healthy, she added, the value they bring to a company's product and profitability is enhanced and everyone benefits.

And she pointed out that this lesson has already been learned by some of the Island's largest companies.

One can look at XL or ACE, she said, and see they are adding fitness centres, cafeterias, first aid centres and such to benefit the overall health of their employees.

But that message should be heard from the largest companies down to the self-employed, she added.

"The most important commodity is the employees," she said. "This is the message we want to get across."