To ensure occupational safety and hygiene (OSH) is a very necessary work to protect the lives and health of employees as well as assets and sustainable development of enterprises. On occasion of Workers' Month and OSH's Action Month 2020, Binh Duong Newspaper interviewed Ong Thuy Hoang Mai, Vice Chairwoman of provincial Labor Confederation about the work of ensuring OSH at workplace, as well as enterprise's care for employees.
The contest of good occupational safety and hygiene held by Trade Unions is considered as one of the effective solutions that directly affect the labor safety assurance for employees.
- Ma'am, labor accidents in the province still have happened. Could you tell what is the cause?
- In recent years, Trade Unions in the province have collaborated with labor management agencies to carry out inspections on the implementation of Labor Law, OSH Law, Trade Union Law, Social Insurance Law, Fire prevention fighting... in businesses; At the same time, enhanced propagation for employers to pay attention to occupational safety training for employees, helping employees to raise awareness and well observe labor safety regulations. However, occupational accidents still occurred. According to statistics, in 2019, there were 845 occupational accidents in Binh Duong province, of which 37 serious cases killed 41 people, 113 cases had an injury rate of 31 - 96%. The reasons were that employers did not give occupational safety training, not develop safety measures; Unintentional and careless employees on duty... Labor accidents leave pain to workers, place burden on their families and the whole society.
- What will Trade Union at all levels in the province do to minimize the number of occupational accidents, ma'am?
- In order to improve the effectiveness of OSH, Trade Unions at all levels regularly organize OSH training for employees; ask and instruct employers to organize periodic health examinations for employees, conduct periodic surveys and measure harmful factors in working environment. Trade Unions organize and direct the signing of commitments to improve labor conditions, reduce occupational accidents and diseases for employers, create good working conditions for employees. Especially, Standing Committee of provincial Labor Confederation guides the organization and implementation of activities in response to the 4th OSH Action Month 2020 themed "To enhance improvement of working conditions and control of risks of OSH, fires and explosions at work”.
The period of the OSH Action Month 2020 is from 1st to 31st May in the whole province. The purpose is to stimulate the collaboration between trade unions, functional authorities, authorities at the same level, between grassroots trade unions and employers to implement specific action programs to improve working conditions; strengthen self-inspection and review of internal rules and procedures to ensure OSH; promote mass movement for OSH to prevent and limit occupational accidents, diseases, and build a safe culture at work. Activities in this Action Month also aim at strengthen information, communication, raising employers and employers' awareness of the compliance with Law on Labor Safety and Health, Directive No. 29-CT/TW dated 18th Sep 2013 of Secretariat on developing OSH in the period of industrialization, modernization and international integration.
- To ensure OSH, what are the requirements for this action month, ma'am?
- Standing Committee of provincial Labor Confederation sets out requirements for activities in response to OSH Action Month 2020, that are diverse, practical, and turn towards the grassroots, enterprises and employees, especially enterprises operating in industries with high risk of OSH loss; to attract the participation and collaboration of all levels, sectors, organizations, media agencies, businesses and employees, avoiding cumbersome formality and waste.
Activities will be organized in 3 phases, before the action month (from April 20 to April 29) include propagation, grassroots to formulate plans for activities; to direct units to put up banners at entrance gates with slogans of enthusiastically responding to OSH Action Month 2020. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the restriction of crowds, during OSH Action Month (1st to 31st May), superior and grassroots Trade Unions replaced gathering launch with leaflets, posters, pictures, publications, books and newspapers, through speakers...
-What is the main content of OSH Action Month 2020, ma'am?
-To diversify the form of communication, dissemination of policies, laws and knowledge of OSH, Trade Union at all levels actively counsel to the Party committees, governments, and employers, or organize activities for this month; to give online consultancy about OSH policies, regimes for employees; to hold a good OSH officials' contest, exam to learn about OSH knowledge, fire prevention, identification and prevention of Covid-19 in writing or online forms. Besides, Trade Unions organize visits to victims and their families of labor accidents, occupational diseases, sick workers, disadvantaged people, people affected by epidemic; develop movements of emulation, improve the effect of mass movement of OSH, such as: "Green-clean-beautiful", "Guaranteed OSH", "Workers work for green-clean-beautiful city"...
Trade Unions need to actively listen to thoughts, aspirations of members, employees, and employers on OSH matters at workplace; to share and solve difficulties for members, employees, victims and families of the victims affected by labor accidents, occupational diseases...
Reported by Thu Thao - Translated by Ngoc Huynh
