Nghe An will close production facilities that cause work accidents

In addition to salary, social insurance and health insurance, it is necessary to ensure good working conditions and environment for employees. Photo: Mai Hoa

Resolutely suspend unsafe positions and workplaces

Occupational safety and health (OSH) is one of the issues that need special attention, because it is related to the life and health of workers and the sustainable development of the employers themselves.

Some notable targets for occupational safety and health in 2019 set by the Provincial Occupational Safety and Health Council are to reduce the frequency of fatal occupational accidents by 5% compared to 2018; 100% of fatal occupational accidents are reported, investigated, and handled according to the law; 100% of workers confirmed to have occupational accidents and occupational diseases are treated and rehabilitated according to the law.

It is important to continue to create a shift in awareness and action in occupational safety and health from employers and employees, in order to reduce the number of occupational accidents, create a safe working environment, and improve the health of workers in 2019. The People's Committee directs all levels and sectors to focus on promoting propaganda and education on occupational safety and health; strengthen training and coaching, improve knowledge and skills to prevent occupational accidents and diseases for workers.

Businesses need to have a sense of responsibility in ensuring safe working conditions and environments, and improving the health of workers. Photo: Mai Hoa

At the same time, it is necessary to effectively manage and inspect machinery and equipment with strict requirements on labor safety; strengthen inspection and examination of labor safety and hygiene, focusing on enterprises with high risks of labor accidents and occupational diseases; resolutely suspend or temporarily stop production at positions, workplaces, machinery and equipment that do not ensure labor safety and hygiene conditions.

Some specific goals for 2019:

-Increase 40 small and medium enterprises to effectively apply some basic contents of the occupational safety and hygiene management system, initially building a culture of safety in the workplace.

- Over 1,000 workers in occupations and jobs with strict requirements on occupational safety and health, 500 workers in occupational safety and health and medical staff; 1,000 safety and hygiene workers in production and business establishments were trained and supported in occupational safety and health training.

The textile industry is also an industry with a high risk of occupational safety loss. Photo: Mai Hoa

There were 544 deaths due to work accidents.

In practice in Nghe An, as of December 31, 2018, there were more than 13,000 enterprises and production and business establishments in operation. Of these, nearly 2,100 enterprises with production and business sectors with high risks of occupational accidents and diseases such as: construction works; mineral enterprises; textiles, garments; electricity production, transmission and distribution; environmental sanitation, etc.

Mineral exploitation is one of the industries with a high risk of occupational accidents. Photo: Mai Hoa

In general, the State management of occupational safety and health in the province is increasingly receiving attention from all levels and sectors in terms of leadership and direction; taking care of occupational safety and health training; at the same time, strengthening inspection and handling of violations of the law.

Accordingly, the awareness of compliance in many enterprises has changed and attention has been paid to investing in improving working conditions and environment, implementing policies and laws on occupational safety and health, and taking care of employees' health.

The results of the 2018 inspection at 184 mineral enterprises by 2 interdisciplinary teams established by the Provincial People's Committee showed that 37 administrative violation records in the field of occupational safety and health were made, and the Chairmen of the People's Committees of districts and towns were recommended to decide to impose fines of more than 340 million VND.

Besides, there are also many enterprises, especially small and medium enterprises, that are not aware of complying with legal regulations on occupational safety and health.

On the other hand, workers themselves are also subjective, even indifferent to their own safety and health. This leads to limited compliance with occupational safety and health laws in many enterprises; fatal occupational accidents still occur.

According to statistics from the judicial death certificate book in 480 communes and wards in the province, in the period of 2015-2018, there were 544 deaths due to work-related accidents (including workers working under labor contracts, freelance workers working nationwide, and workers working abroad).

In 2018 alone, there were 26 work accidents in the province, causing 31 casualties, including 7 deaths/4 cases.

In addition to work-related accidents, through the periodic health check-ups organized by the Provincial Center for Preventive Medicine in 2018 for 43 units, a number of occupational diseases were discovered in workers, such as silicosis, chronic bronchitis, occupational tuberculosis, bronchial asthma, occupational deafness, occupational skin pigmentation, occupational vibration, pesticide poisoning and occupational skin diseases due to exposure to humid and cold environments...