Safe workplaces protect both workers and businesses

Filed under: Features,News,NewsItem,Safety & Workplace Violence |

Almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, Indonesia is still facing a challenge, with the number of new cases still on the upward trend. As the crisis continues to threaten many facets of society, efforts have been made to keep the economy running in a time of health crisis — from comprehensive fiscal stimulus to the issuance of workplace health protocols in order to mitigate the transmission of virus and protect workers as much as possible.

A question remains: amidst all the efforts and lingering concerns against the pandemic, how should we all strike a balance in maintaining economic activities while making workplaces safe? The ILO attempted to gather perspectives from key labour actors to find the answer through a webinar titled: Business and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reducing Infection Risks at Workplaces” on 6 July. The webinar presented the representatives from the Ministry of Manpower, the Indonesian Employers’ Association (Apindo), Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Union (KSBSI) and the Indonesian Medical Association for Occupational Health (IDKI).

The webinar was held as part of the launch of the new project titled “Enhancing COVID-19 Prevention at and through Workplaces”, funded by the Government of Japan. The Project was officially launched by Dra. Haiyani Rumondang, M.A, Director General of the Labour Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) of the Ministry of Manpower, H.E. Kenji Kanasugi, Ambassador of Japan to Indonesia and Michiko Miyamoto, Country Director of ILO in Indonesia and Timor-Leste.

The Project, running until March 2022, marked the collaboration between the Government of Indonesia and Japan, with support of the ILO, to promote job creation by enhancing COVID-19 prevention and improving safety and health for workers, which is an indispensable precondition to business re-opening, continuation and expansion. The project also aims to strengthen the capacity of labour inspectors, OSH professionals as well as representatives of enterprises and workers to effectively deal with today’s pandemic and other occupational safety and health (OSH) challenges.

 

Workplaces as the frontline to safeguard workers

Joining from Bangkok, Dr Yuka Ujika, ILO’s Specialist on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), explained during the webinar that workplaces have a role in curving the pandemic by mitigating the risk of virus transmission, serving as an information hub on prevention and sharing good practices beyond workplaces. “Workplaces can play their roles by enhancing the capacity of workers and employers, as well as by strengthening occupational health service through the promotion of preventive culture, application of risk assessment and control and the development of OSH management system,” said Dr Ujita.

Workplaces can play their roles by enhancing the capacity of workers and employers, as well as by strengthening occupational health service through the promotion of preventive culture, application of risk assessment and control and the development of OSH management system.”

Dr Yuka Ujika, ILO’s Specialist on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)

Reaffirming Dr. Ujita’s statement on OSH management system, Yuli Adiratna, Director of Labour Norms Examination of Ministry of Manpower, emphasized that workplaces should integrate their preventive measures into their OSH programme, while at the same time, empowering the formation of company’s OSH Committee (P2K3) and optimizing the function of occupational health services.

Meanwhile, from the perspective of the employers, dr. Rima Melati, OSH Committee of Apindo, stressed the importance of raising the workers’ and managements’ awareness about healthy behavioral change in respond to the pandemic. “Communication and socialization on COVID-19 protocols and good practices will reduce infection risk among workers at workplaces,” she said.

In agreement, Elly Rosita Silaban, President of KSBSI, added that trade unions have an important role to facilitate communications with workers about the emerging risks and their impacts. “Organizing collective actions to enhance safety and health measures at work are already in motion for many workers, especially in terms of making sure their fellow workers are aware of the available vaccination scheme,” added Elly.

The key role of workplaces as the frontline to safeguard the workers also underscored by Dr Eddy, Chair of the Indonesian Medical Association for Occupational Health (IDKI). As the implementing partner of the Project, IDKI would provide assistance to more than a thousand of workplaces in Indonesia to develop protocols for prevention and transmission COVID-19 at workplaces. “We are going to replicate good practices based on our experiences at the enterprise level in dealing with the pandemic,” he said.

The webinar concluded with enthusiastic responses from enterprises and workers to sign up for ILO’s assessment service. The service is targeted to assist 1.500 workplaces in assessing COVID-19 infection risks and implemented actions plans to enhance the COVID-19 prevention measures based on advice of OSH doctors.

List your business in the premium web directory for free This website is listed under Human Resources Directory