Determined for Reducing Labour Accidents

 

Specifically, in 2012, labour accidents claimed 606 lives and injure 6,361 other people. The number of accidents increased 881 cases and injuries rose 813 cases. The number of accidents with death increased 48 cases and the number of lives lost rose 32 cases and the number of injuries climbed 156 cases.

 

According to report from localities, expenses for occupational accidents in 2012 (medical bills, funeral, compensation for families with people killed and injured, etc.) were VND82.6 billion; asset damage valued VND11 billion, and the total number of leave days due to accidents (including policy leaves) was 85,683 days. 10 provinces and cities with the biggest number of casualties were Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, Hanoi, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Ha Tinh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Long An, Da Nang and Binh Thuan.

 

Industries with many serious accidents in 2012 remained mining, construction, metallurgy, mechanics, and machine operation. These industries also caused most accidents in 2011 and previous years.

The occurrence of accidents was attributed to both employees and employers. Employers did not train enough of occupational safety for their employees and the employees made light of safety processes and measures.

 

In addition, lax inspection, checking and settlement of State agencies were also attributed to the rise in labour accidents as these caused a greater ignorance of safety regulations.

 

To proactively prevent labour accidents in the future, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs requested relevant ministries, localities and enterprises to implement regulations on labour safety and occupational health, focus on training labour safety for employers and labourers.

 

The “Informing, training, counselling activities for better quality of labour safety and sanitation in VCCI-member small and medium enterprises" Project was carried out by the Business Office for Sustainable Development, which was affiliated to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI). This project focuses on informing and training in labour protection, labour safety and hygiene like equipping, building and upgrading labour safety and occupational health training centres, standardising communication tools, supporting the expansion of trainer and communicator networks, coordinating in building mechanism on socialisation of informing and training activities, etc.

Also, in 2013, the ministry will expand the dissemination of labour safety culture, ways to prevent workplace accidents, occupational diseases and workplace fires in a bid to call employers and employees to join forces to improve labour safety, occupational health and fire prevention.

 

On February 26, 2013 in Hanoi, the Steering Committee for the National Week on Occupational Health and Safety - Fire and Explosion Prevention hosted a press conference o launch the 15^th Occupational Health and Safety - Fire and Explosion Prevention Programme. Many practical and meaningful activities aimed at reducing labour accidents, occupational diseases, and remedies were organised during the event.

 

Most recently, on May 5, more than 3,600 garment workers joined a jogging campaign organised by Better Work Vietnam in Lucky Square in Binh Duong City, Binh Duong Province. This was a practical movement aimed at disseminating information on labour safety and sanitation for workers.

 

Besides, activities of the National Programme for Labour Safety and Occupational Health and Hygiene for the 2011 - 2015 period, approved by the Prime Minister at the Decision 2281/QD-TTg dated December 10, 2010, will continue to be carried out in order to push back work accidents in 2013.