Message from the Chair Health, Safety and Environment Advisory Committee

KEMRI has a long-standing reputation
for ethical conduct of research in all areas and takes pride in the quantity and quality of research performed on its facilities situated throughout Kenya. 

The Director KEMRI is ultimately responsible for all Institute HSE issues. This responsibility is exercised through the Health, Safety and Environment Advisory Committee (HSEAC) which is charged with ensuring that safe work practices and adherence to established policies and guidelines are followed. 

Health and Safety is a shared responsibility. Every member of the KEMRI Institute  community is responsible and accountable to work safely at all times, to identify and report hazards, to take whatever measures, necessary and reasonable in the circumstances, to protect and promote health and safety.  

All staff and students are responsible for the safety of visitors to our Institute and should always take appropriate and necessary steps to protect them from known hazards. Similarly, all members of staff and students must accept responsibility for their safety and the safety of those around them. The elimination or reduction of illness, injury, and property damage related to unsafe practices is thus an important cooperative effort. 

I am very proud of the accomplishments of the HSEAC’s efforts and commitment to continued improvement of our strong environmental stewardship and safety programs in the Institute. As the Institute grows globally, our commitment on health, safety and environment will continue to prove invaluable for helping us tackle challenges that truly affect our ability to do business. These include ensuring worker safety, reducing costs and finding innovative ways to conserve limited resources now and in the years to come. 

Our pursuit of excellence in health, safety and environmental issues will remain a top priority for our Institute. I urge all Centre Directors, Collaborators, Departmental Heads and all staff to support the goals of HSEAC on health, safety and environment. 

This is my first year as the Chair to HSEAC and I would like to thank Dr. Peter M. Tukei, The former long serving Chairman for his valuable contributions in time and expertise since the formation of the then Waste Management Advisory Committee (WDAC) in 1998. Through his leadership WDAC changed to Biosafety Advisory Committee (BAC) and finally to HSEAC. From all of us in HSEAC we would like to wish Dr. Peter M. Tukei a happy retirement. 

I also want to thank the entire members of staff, students and our clients for their continued support towards making KEMRI a safer workplace. I appeal to all partners to support these noble but challenging programs on Health Safety, Environment and Quality Management in KEMRI.

We would like to thank Dr. Peter M. Tukei, The former long serving Chairman for his valuable contributions in time and expertise since the formation of the then Waste Management Advisory Committee (WDAC) in 1998.