Launching Ceremony of the 18th National Week on Occupational Safety and Health, fire &explosion prevention 2016
President of VGCL Dang Ngoc Tung and Deputy Minister of Labour-Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep award flags to enterprises with outstanding achievements in OSH, fire-explosion prevention in 2015
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Deputy Minister of Labour-Invalids and Social Affairs, Mr. Doan Mau Diep emphasized that in 2015, the work of OSH, fire & explosion prevention continues to receive the attention of industries and government levels, the participation of agencies, organizations, businesses and employees. The contents and proactive solutions of preventing occupational accidents and diseases were informed, disseminated and widely practiced; Work-Safety culture was initially formed in the agencies, organizations, enterprises and employees. The activities of training OSH, controlling devices with stringent requirements for OSH have been implemented with the participation of private organizations providing training and controlling services; activities of inspecting, checking are enhanced with the involvement and collaboration of all branches of labor – invalids and social affairs, health, police and trade unions contributing to the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases.
However, in 2015, more than 7,600 working accidents have occurred nationwide causing 666 deaths; and 1,704 people seriously injured. There are several causes of working accidents, but 53% of working accidents caused by unsafe working processes and methods while occupational safety training for employees were not organized, as well as inappropriate working organization, and lack of personal protective equipment; 19% was due to employees violating work-safety processes and regulations, or/and not using personal protective equipment; 28% of accident cases were due to other causes. Also in 2015, more than 2,000 cases of fires have occurred across the country which killed 90 people, injured 143 people, damaged more than 1,300 billion VND and more than 1,300 hectares of forest. Besides, through the periodic health examination of more than 17 thousand employees throughout the country, it was discovered that nearly 9,000 people were suspected of carrying occupational diseases.
In 2016, OSH and fire-explosion prevention will focus on four key tasks: ministries, branches, localities and enterprises are to actively develop and promulgate specific programs and action plans in the spirit of Directive 29- CT/TU dated on September 18th , 2013 of the Central Secretariat; to strengthen and develop Work-Safety culture, OSH and fire-explosion prevention measures at work, to promote training activities, controlling risk assessment in order to proactively prevent occupational accidents and diseases, and fire-explosion incidents, to continue diversifying the forms of OSH propaganda, considering OSH and fire-explosion prevention is regular work of each production shift, every working day of all weeks, months in the year; employees should actively, voluntarily and strictly respect regulations and implement measures to prevent occupational accidents and diseases, fire and explosion, improve working conditions in enterprises, equip health and life self-protection skills to bring happiness for families, contribute to the development of enterprises and society; branches and localities should strengthen inspection and examination activities on OSH, fire-explosion prevention, especially in sectors with high risk, in small and medium enterprises, craft villages.
Launching the 18th National Week on OSH, fire-explosion prevention in 2016, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam emphasized that the State encourages enterprises to develop business, but also requires enterprises to be aware of responsibility in ensuring safety for employees. State agencies should focus on advocacy, leadership, direction and inspection with regard to enforcement of working legislation of business. It should resolutely punish and publicize a list of enterprises that violate legislation on labour, fire prevention and fighting.
At the launching ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Van Phong – Chairman of Hung Yen Provincial People’s Committee on behalf of the whole province’s employees has committed to strictly implement the work of ensuring OSH, fire-explosion prevention. A representative of ILO and Chairman of ISSA – Mining shared OSH, fire-explosion prevention and control experiences from advanced countries and associations.
Ending the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Labour-Invalids and Social Affairs Mr. Doan Mau Diep handed souvenir flags for Hung Yen province and honor flag for Hanoi city – the locality that will hold the launching ceremony of action month on OSH 2017.
In the series of activities in response to the 18th National Week on OSH, fire-explosion prevention, on the 19th March, Vice President of VGCL, Mr. Mai Duc Chinh and the leaders of Provincial Labour Federation visited and gave gifts to 5 workers currently living in Hung Yen Province. At the visited places, the delegation has graciously inquired the situation of health, life, living and jobs, shared difficulties, and encouraged families to overcome difficulties and stabilize their life.
In the framework of activities in response to the National Week on OSH, fire-explosion prevention 2016, in Hung Yen Province, VGCL and Ministry of Labour-Invalids and Social Affairs have also organized many activities such as: the Contest “Good OSH Activists in Hung Yen Province”; the Conference to review 10 years of the Resolution 5b on boosting labour protection activities of trade unions in the new situation and 20 years of the movement “Green – Clean – Beautiful, Ensuring OSH”; Launching Ceremony of the inspection campaign 2016 and training for regional inspectors on inspection by Campaign 2016.
The 18th National Week on OSH, fire-explosion prevention is the final one to be held in provinces. Since 2017 – the year of implementation of new provisions of the OSH Act, this will be the first year to organise “Action Month for OSH”, aiming to bring OSH to the next level, which is building an OSH culture, proactive prevention of occupational accidents and diseases instead of focus on solving the consequences.
(Source: nilp.vn)
