TCC Plc makes major strides in workplace safety, health, and environmental management
The Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Youth, Employment, and Persons with Disabilities), Hon. Ridhiwani Kikwete (left), receives a token of appreciation from Ms. Shyrose Farizal (right), Manager for Safety, Health, and Environment (Marketing Department) at Tanzania Cigarette Company (TCC Plc), during his visit to the TCC Plc exhibition booth at the national commemoration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, held at Mandewa Grounds in Singida Region.
In its efforts to enhance the working environment and broader community wellbeing, Tanzania Cigarette Company (TCC) has continued to take deliberate steps to ensure safety, health, and environmental protection.
Through long-term plans and strategies, TCC has invested in clean technologies and training on the importance of occupational health and safety for its employees.
TCC’s Health, Safety, and Environment Manager (Factory), Mr. Protas Kangalawe, says that as the world continues to grapple with the impacts of climate change which also pose risks in the workplace—the company has prepared systems to mitigate these challenges within its factory operations.
Kangalawe notes that the company has a disaster control committee whose primary responsibility is to assess potential and imminent unforeseen events that may impact the company's operations, including production and sales. He adds that these assessments are carried out regularly.
“There’s also an Emergency Management Manual that we follow, which guides us on how to handle each unexpected event. A good example is during the COVID-19 pandemic it was a new challenge, and the manual helped us to quickly respond and manage it, which played a significant role in helping us reach where we are today when it comes to disaster preparedness,” Kangalawe explains.
Beyond these efforts, he says the company has been making earnest efforts to shift away from the use of polluting energy sources toward clean and safe alternatives.
He notes that TCC has begun converting vehicles and forklifts to electric (hybrid) power, while factory and office lighting is now powered by solar energy instead of the national grid (TANESCO) all aimed at reducing carbon emissions.
He explains: “Balancing between carbon emission and reduction is certainly difficult, but it's achievable with the right systems. TCC has a strong environmental improvement program, which ensures emission reduction through equipment upgrades, use of clean energy in operations, and recycling waste to avoid environmental contamination.”
The manager adds that TCC has also taken a leading role in waste management by separating hazardous waste from recyclable materials that can be processed and reused within the factory.
Safety, Health, and Environment Manager (Marketing Department) at TCC Plc, Shyrose Farizal (right), receives an award for outstanding commitment to workplace safety and health. On the left are TCC Plc employees during the World Day for Safety and Health at Work commemorations held in Singida Region.
Meanwhile, TCC’s Health, Safety, and Environment Manager (Marketing), Ms. Shyrose Farizal, says these deliberate efforts are the key reason the company continues to be recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) for its commitment to workplace health and safety. TCC has also maintained an excellent track record in environmental conservation, winning several awards.
Shyrose emphasizes that safety at TCC is everyone's responsibility, deeply rooted from leadership down to every employee everyone speaks the same safety language.
She explains that the company continuously offers refresher training to employees to remind them of the importance of health and safety, particularly in a sector such as manufacturing.
To nurture a culture of safety among employees, aside from training, she says the company also provides incentives and recognizes employees who uphold safety standards, especially in the use of heavy machinery and factory equipment, at the end of each year.
She also mentions that, as part of their ongoing efforts to boost employee morale, safety performance over the past year has been factored into the bonus allocations for factory staff.
“For the past two years, we’ve operated the factory without any major incidents. But what we’re most proud of is our employees’ readiness to be safety ambassadors by reminding their colleagues of their responsibilities before an accident occurs,” the manager says.
Moreover, she says TCC has been actively engaged in building a community that values safety, health, and environmental care by participating in various environmental conservation activities.
In collaboration with Temeke Municipality and the Dar es Salaam Regional Administration, TCC has been organizing various clean-up activities in different areas across Dar es Salaam, along with distributing cleaning equipment in those areas.
Awards received by Tanzania Cigarette Company (TCC Plc) during the commemoration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, held in Singida Region.
“In 2023 and 2024, we conducted clean-up campaigns at Kigamboni and Coco Beach. After each event, we sorted the collected waste onsite with the community to demonstrate our accountability,” she further explains.
With the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, TCC has continued to invest in modern AI-driven systems that enhance safety, health, and environmental management efficiency at the factory.
Shyrose adds that in addition to employee training, these systems also detect new potential risks and provide effective response strategies without causing disruption.
The use of AI, she says, aligns with the theme of this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work: “The Evolution of Safety and Health: Recognizing the Role of Artificial Intelligence and Digitalization in the Workplace.”
