Section 1: Key OSH issues in Thailand

	Overview of occupational accidents and diseases
	National policy and legislation on OSH
	Enforcement of OSH laws and regulations
	Training, information and awareness-raising activities
	OSH programmes of the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Industry
	Problems of specific industries, hazards and target groups
	OSH activities of employers’ and workers’ organizations and other institutions
	Support for OSH programmes by the Workmen’s Compensation Fund

Section 1: Key OSH issues in Thailand

        Over the past three decades, Thailand’s economy has undergone a dramatic change. An economy that was largely based on agriculture with a narrow range of export commodities such as rice, rubber, teak and tin, has given way to a new model. Today, Thailand has developed its manufacturing and service sectors such that they now account for more than 80 per cent of the gross national product (GNP). Until the onset of the financial crisis in 1997, Thailand had been considered one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, with a remarkable record of development. Between 1987 and 1995 it achieved an average annual economic growth rate of more than 8 per cent, and the rapid growth of the economy generated substantial employment. The number of employed persons was estimated at 33 million in August 1997, engaged in a wide variety of economic activities, and experiencing an equally wide range of working conditions. The improvement of working conditions and environments is an important issue for the entire working population, and has significant implications for the quality of work.

1.1 Overview of occupational accidents and diseases

        While Thailand has been caught up by the financial crisis since 1997, various industrial activities continue to play a major role in the social and economic development of the country. During the growth years before the crisis, as industrial activities expanded, adverse effects on workers became more obvious – and the official figures on industrial accidents rose. The number of industrial accidents compensated by the Workmen’s Compensation Scheme (including those cases which did not involve absence from work) increased from 82,375 cases in 1990 to 245,616 cases in 1996, (Table 1). However – it must be remembered that the coverage of the Workmen’s Compensation Scheme was expanded in 1993 from enterprises with 20 or more workers to those with 10 or more, and the number of workers covered by the scheme has been increasing constantly. Thus, the accident rate per 1,000 workers has actually remained unchanged at around 40 accidents per 1,000 workers. Therefore, the increase in the reported number of industrial accidents should be understood to be reflecting the expansion of industrial activities and the improvement in the coverage of the Workmen’s Compensation Scheme rather than a deterioration of the working environment.

Note: This table is based on claims covered by the Workmen’s Compensation Fund, which does not cover small enterprises with less than 10 workers. Thus, many more accidents are unreported. The Fund’s coverage was expanded in 1993 from enterprises with 20 or more workers to those with 10 or more.

        In addition to daily accidents in the workplace which are not reported by the media, Thailand has experienced major workplace disasters. Perhaps the best known is the fire at the Kader toy factory in 1993 which killed more than 180 workers. There are also many work sites where large quantities of hazardous chemicals are stored and used, and which have the potential for major accidents, such as the fire at a Klongtoey chemical warehouse in 1992.

        While a large number of accidents are reported to the Workmen’s Compensation Office, a further analysis of the available accidents data is necessary to improve the efficiency of the OSH programme by focusing on the high risk industries and occupations. In addition, consistent improvement in the data contained in the accident compensation claim form is important. An ILO advisory report from 1996, Design of a Database on Occupational Injuries and Diseases for the Workmen’s Compensation Fund, provides useful guidance in this regard.

        Some 90 cases of occupational diseases were compensated by the Workmen’s Compensation Fund in 1997, including 36 cases of lead poisoning, 22 cases of noise induced hearing loss, and seven cases of pneumoconiosis. However most of the occupational diseases cases (77) were compensated for temporary disability, involving absence from work for three days or less.

        Table 2 shows the occupational diseases cases identified through the medical network of the Ministry of Public Health. The majority of the cases were of pesticide poisoning among farmers. The figures from the Ministry of Public Health are higher since they cover small enterprises and self-employed persons as well as the agricultural sector. In addition, these cases did not necessarily result in the payment of compensation, even if the workers were covered by the Workmen’s Compensation Fund.

Number of cases (deaths shown in brackets)

Source: Epidemiology Division, Ministry of Public Health

        Except in the pesticide poisoning category, the reports of occupational diseases are quite limited in both systems of reporting, even though a large number of workers are exposed to various health hazards in industry. There are a number of weaknesses in the system for identification of occupational diseases, including lack of implementation of regular health examination of workers exposed to health hazards, a shortage of trained doctors, a lack of clear standards for the diagnosis of occupational diseases, very little monitoring of working environments and lack of awareness among management and workers.

• Significant numbers of workers are injured at work resulting in huge economic losses
• Expansion of the coverage of workmen’s compensation
• Insufficient collection and analysis of data on occupational accidents and diseases
• Need for a firm infrastructure for identification of occupational diseases

        The Eighth National Economic and Social Development Plan (1997-2001) includes the reduction of preventable accidents focusing on the workplace, traffic, transport of toxic chemicals, and fires in high-rise buildings as development targets. Further, the activities intended to achieve this goal are discussed in the chapters on health development and development of social security systems. However, there is a lack of firm coordinated national policy and mid-term programmes on OSH and of clear government statements placing priority on the safety and health of workers in a climate of pursuit of economic development.

        Among the key steps identified in the plan is the revision of laws and regulations. And, in fact, a new Labour Protection Act was promulgated in 1998, providing a better basis for safety and health regulations. A number of notifications from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare on occupational safety and health, including those on maximum weight and chemical safety, are being reviewed as part of a process of legislative reform being carried out under the Labour Protection Act. This process of review has provided a good opportunity to draw the attention of workers and employers alike to the importance of occupational safety and health.

        Important legislation issued recently by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare includes the Notification on Safety Committees (1995) and the Notification on Safety Officer Training (1997). The former requires establishments with 50 or more workers to set up occupational safety and health committees consisting of representatives of employers and workers. The latter requires the training of safety officers at different levels and lowers the employee number requirement for professional safety officers to include establishments with 50 or more workers. These two pieces of legislation provide a basic safety management framework at the enterprise level. One of the most encouraging achievements is the training of more than 100,000 people under the provisions of the Notification on Safety Officer Training within a period of just over a year.

        Other key legislation related to occupational safety and health includes the Factories Act (1992) administered by the Ministry of Industry, the Public Health Act (1992) administered by the Ministry of Public Health, and the Hazardous Substances Act (1992) administered by the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Agriculture.

        The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare drafted occupational safety and health law several years ago, but there have not been substantial tripartite discussions on the contents of the draft Bill – something that would need to take place in order to gain endorsement of new legislation and speedy enactment. The adoption of comprehensive legislation on OSH will be a key step towards strengthening the OSH programme. Recent examples in the region include the enactment of an OSH Act in Malaysia in 1994 and an OSH Ordinance in Hong Kong, China in 1997.

• Lack of a comprehensive national policy on OSH formulated jointly by the relevant authorities and social partners
• Development of mid-term OSH strategy and progamme with concrete actions and targets
• Developing a firm legal basis for OSH promotion including an OSH Act

        There are three types of inspectors in Thailand’s Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare – safety inspectors, labour inspectors, and women and child labour inspectors. Transition to integrated inspection, unifying these three types of inspectors, was planned in the 1980s, with particular inputs through the operation of an ILO-executed project. While a number of training courses were carried out for this purpose, the introduction of the integrated inspection activities has been limited to some provinces. Thus in most provinces, three types of inspectors are carrying out specific inspections with little integration.

        As shown in Table 3, some 15,455 safety labour inspections were carried out in 1996, and 12,325 establishments were inspected. Most of the inspections were general and follow-up inspections. Some 240 were carried out in response to a complaint and 161 after accidents. Of the 12,325 establishments inspected, there were violations in 7,015 establishments (57%). Major categories of violations were fire safety (32.15%), electricity safety (8.78%), employees’ work safety (7.58%) and machine safety (7.49%). In these instances, the most common action was to provide advice and warnings to employers. Only 106 cases were prosecuted.

Source: Labour Studies and Planning Division, Department of Labour Protection and Welfare

        Table 4 compares the number of compensated accidents and the number of safety inspections carried out in 1996. While the numbers of safety inspections are high for manufacturing and construction industries, the inspection frequencies are still not high for these industries if we take into account the number of accidents occurring. Further, the actual ratio of accidents per inspection for the construction industry could be much higher if all construction workers were covered by the Workmen’s Compensation Scheme. Safety inspections of less hazardous industries such as the wholesale and retail industry could be reduced or could be carried out by labour inspectors and women and child labour inspectors focusing on priority issues such as fire hazards as a part of an integrated inspection.

Source: Yearbook of Labour Statistics, 1996

        The current frequency of safety inspection will require 20 years to visit all 318,660 establishments currently recognized by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. However, if labour inspectors and women and child labour inspectors could be mobilized to inspect basic aspects of safety and health such as fire and machine safety, visiting all the establishments would only require about three years. Under the current government policy, it would be difficult to increase the number of inspectors. However, it would be possible to change the inspection system to an integrated model to improve the efficiency of inspection. Thus a review of inspection strategies and systems is of central importance. The issues to be reviewed include team inspections, technical inspection of boilers, pressure vessels and elevators by private sector agencies, priority setting and efficiency.

Source: Yearbook of Labour Statistics, 1996 and Department of Labour Protection

* Figures describe number of inspectors in 1999.

        According to a survey of safety inspectors carried out in 1998, only 20 per cent have a technical background in an area such as engineering, industrial hygiene and occupational health. The majority of safety inspectors have a background in other areas such as law, economics and political science. Further, two thirds of these inspectors have been working in this field for less than five years. The training course for safety inspectors extends over 45 days, with five one-day classroom sessions, and 40 days of practical work site visits. All of this means that most of the safety inspectors have limited technical expertise, and rotate between sections quite frequently. The current division of safety inspectors from labour inspectors and women and child labour inspectors has little significance in terms of technical background. Labour inspectors and women and child labour inspectors could easily take up safety and health issues with modest training.

        The National Institute for the Improvement of Working Conditions and Environment (NICE) was established in 1983 within the Department of Labour Protection, charged with providing OSH advisory services to safety inspectors and establishments, conducting practical research and training on OSH, and collecting and disseminating OSH information. The NICE, together with its 17 regional institutes (RICE), currently employs 70 staff. One of the major training activities carried out by NICE is for safety officers – it has trained about 1,000 each year since 1987. A Japan-funded five-year project designed to strengthen the NICE and the skills of the inspectors has been operational since 1997. The project activities include developing and improving training courses for construction site supervisors, safety officers and OSH inspectors, and developing guidelines for providing advice to establishments in various OSH fields such as construction safety, machine safety, fire and explosion prevention, environmental monitoring, health surveillance and ergonomics.

        Recent examples of the NICE’s work developing guidelines on OSH and conducting practical research include Occupational Safety and Health Development in High Risk Industry (in Thai) using the ILO WISE Technique (1995), the Report on health promotion and child labour prevention in small-scale establishments in Bangkok (1996), Survey of Health Conditions of workers in 14 provinces (1997), and Guidelines for workers’ health protection in the textile industry (1998).

        In late 1996, the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare launched its Sustainable OSH Programme to promote the establishment of OSH management systems at the enterprise level through the organization of training and guidance programmes for enterprises. The programme approach was modified in 1998 to focus more intensely on the enforcement of the basic elements of the OSH management system which are required by legislation – including ensuring safety committees and safety officers are working properly. Under the current programme, selected employers together with safety officers and worker representatives are invited to the labour inspection office to explain their OSH management system to the inspectors. Many labour inspectors are mobilized for this programme with technical support from the NICE and the Regional Centre for the Improvement of Working Conditions and Environment (RICE). This programme supplements on-site inspection activities through consultations with managers and safety personnel at the inspection office to ensure compliance with basic OSH requirements. It is particularly concerned with requirements related to the establishment and functioning of OSH management systems at the enterprise level, and their functions.

• Limitations in terms of both the number and technical capacity of safety inspectors
• Limited introduction of integrated inspection combining safety and general labour inspection
• Need to consider both efficiency and effectiveness of inspection including action against violations
• Need for strategic safety inspection planning focusing on hazardous industries
• Effective use of multiple approaches for the enforcement of OSH legislation
• Role of the private sector in technical inspection of boilers, pressure vessels and elevators

        Safety officers play a key role in promoting action to improve OSH at the enterprise level. Enterprises employing 100 or more workers are required by law to appoint a qualified safety officer, who has completed one of the six-week training courses offered by the NICE, the RICE and provincial labour and welfare offices. More than 1,000 safety officers have been trained annually during the past decade.

        The requirements governing safety officer appointments were expanded in 1997 by a new regulation of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. Under the terms of the new regulation, safety officers should be appointed at different levels including:

• Safety Officer at the Professional Level (6 weeks): establishments with 50 or more workers;

• Safety Officer at the Management Level (12 hours): any establishment; and

• Safety Officer at the Supervisor Level (12 hours): any establishment.

        With the introduction of this regulation, the number of training courses required has increased dramatically. The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare also introduced a new system of training provision, allowing for the delivery of these courses through authorized training institutions. Thus, more than 100,000 people had been trained by 101 authorized institutions by the end of 1997.

        In addition to the OSH training requirements for safety officers mentioned above, employers must provide OSH training for newly employed workers. Further, the provision of training on OSH to workers is also required by the OSH Notifications of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare in relation to:

• electrical hazards;

• diving;

• hazardous chemicals;

• operation of cranes or derricks;

• piling; and

• temporary lifts at construction sites.

        However, although these requirements stipulate that providing this training is the general responsibility of employers, they do not specify what the contents of the training should be, nor the qualifications that trainers should have. These training requirements should be reviewed based on in-depth analysis of prevailing accidents and diseases.

        A number of training courses are also conducted by the NICE, RICE and provincial labour protection and welfare offices, often in collaboration with the Safety and Health at Work Promotion Association, Thailand. Such courses cover machine safety, OSH management, the role of safety committees, use of personal protective equipment and so on. Some of this training might be included in the legal requirements relating to OSH.

        The NICE and RICE have been disseminating various kinds of practical OSH information sheets for more than a decade. However the development of new types of information sheets has been limited in recent years. The NICE also answers enquiries from and provides advice and support to safety officers, managers and workers in industry. The library of the NICE is open to the public, making a variety of books available.

        The worldwide web has become a significant OSH information source, and an efficient information sharing tool. For example, the NICE, the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, the Department of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Industrial Works and Mahidol University have all developed websites on OSH. These sites provide information on relevant laws and regulations, statistics and services available from each institution. The challenge for the future is how to improve the content of the websites in response to users’ needs. The interaction between the users and website managers needs to be enhanced.

        National Safety Week has been organized annually since 1986. A number of events are organized at a convention centre during National Safety Week including a prize-giving recognizing companies which have achieved high standards of safety; and individuals who have contributed to safety promotion, safety and health seminars and safety exhibitions. In 1996, some 800 people attended the seminar, while 7,500 visited the exhibition. National Safety Week is usually inaugurated by the Deputy Prime Minister, although in 1994 the Prime Minister himself opened the event. National Safety Week activities were expanded to reach the provincial level in 1993.

• Improvement of the quality of safety officer training conducted by authorized institutions
• Development of mid-term strategy for OSH training
• Coordination and cooperation between different authorities and institutions active in OSH training and information
• Collection and dissemination of successful OSH improvements
• Strengthening OSH awareness-raising activities at the provincial and enterprise levels

        The Division of Occupational Health at the Ministry of Public Health, has a number of programmes on occupational health involving more than 110 staff, including physicians, nurses, industrial hygienists and chemists. Two occupational health centres located in the key industrial areas and 12 regional environmental health centres provide occupational health services to industry including work environment monitoring and heath examinations. The Division has integrated occupational health programmes into the ordinary health service system, utilizing provincial health offices, regional and general hospitals as essential units for local level implementation.

        The Division of Occupational Health has been training doctors and nurses in occupational health for several years, reaching more than 240 doctors and 210 nurses. However, because of transfers of doctors to different units, it is estimated that only 30 per cent of the trained doctors are active in the field of occupational health. These trained doctors play a critical role in identifying occupational disease cases.

        In spite of these efforts and the fact that many workers are exposed to occupational health hazards, the number of occupational diseases compensated is still very limited. More than 180,000 workers are considered to be at risk of silicosis, but only a few thousand workers each year undergo medical examinations as part of the Division’s silicosis monitoring programme. Most workers are not examined. In an effort to improve national capacity in silicosis diagnosis, in 1995 the Division, in collaboration with the ILO, organized a training course focusing on reading ILO standard radiographs of pneumoconiosis.

        The Division of Occupational Health is working closely with the Workmen’s Compensation Office to develop concrete standards for the diagnosis of occupational diseases. The standards are expected to facilitate effective identification of occupational diseases.

        The Department of Industrial Works of the Ministry of Industry enforces the Factories Act, 1992, and has 600 staff at its headquarters and 250 staff in the provinces. The Factories Act controls factories which use machines of five horsepowers or more, or which employ seven or more workers. Many aspects of the Factories Act are related to occupational safety and health. The Industrial Safety Technology Centre, with about 35 experts on OSH, provides technical support to inspectors from the Department of Industrial Works. The Industrial Safety Technology Centre’s OSH work focuses on improving legislation, promoting the implementation of OSH management systems in line with the recently adopted Thai national standard (TISI 18000), and strengthening risk management at major hazard installations which have potential for major industrial accidents involving hazardous chemicals. The Centre is the focal point for the UNEP Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level (APELL) programme.

• Finding ways to maximize the impact of the OSH programmes of different ministries
• Mechanisms for inter-ministerial coordination

        The construction industry has played an important role in national economic development, and in 1997 the number of workers was estimated at more than 2 million during the low season, with an additional 1 million workers during the high season. In 1997, some 38,848 workers suffered accidents, including 231 fatalities in the construction industry. These figures account for 16.9 per cent of all compensated accidents and 22.4 per cent of fatal cases. Considering the limitations of the workmen’s compensation coverage, the actual figures will be much more significant. The construction industry is recognized globally as a particularly hazardous one. It is not likely to be less so in Thailand, in view of the lack of training of both supervisors and workers. Most of the workers in the construction industry are originally farmers, with a low level of education and skills. In addition to the temporary nature of the work, many of those employed are themselves seasonal workers, dividing their time between agriculture and construction. These factors make it difficult to maintain high standards of safety.

        As discussed in the previous section on inspection, the number of inspections carried out in the construction sector is quite limited. There is a need to strengthen the inspection programme for this high risk industry. It is also important to review legal requirements and technical guidelines to ensure that OSH management is functioning as it should, and that practical preventive measures are being taken. Of particular importance is the need to clarify the responsibility of prime contractors for ensuring the overall safety of the site. In addition to the legal measures, close guidance for the contractors should be provided. The Department of Labour Protection and Social Welfare’s work to organize the first of a series of regular meetings with the contractors of the Bangkok subway construction in February 1999 is an initiative that sets a good example in this area.

        There is no special training programme focusing on construction safety. There is an urgent need to set up a strategic training programme for the construction industry covering management and all workers as well as special jobs such as crane operators, heavy machine operators and scaffolding builders. The training programme for workers should be developed to fit their level of education, focusing on practical measures. The detailed analysis of prevailing accident trends is essential for developing practical training programmes and materials. The major challenge is to develop a mechanism to reach all construction workers to enhance basic safety awareness and knowledge. The Department of Labour Protection and Welfare also needs to improve its collaboration with other government authorities including the Public Works Department and with the contractors’ association.

        Thousands of hazardous chemicals are used every day in industry in Thailand and many workers are exposed to health hazards, although the number of reported cases of occupational diseases caused by exposure to these substances is limited. The main reasons for this include the lack of mechanisms for identification of occupational diseases and a shortage of trained industrial physicians, a lack of regular monitoring of the working environment, and lack of awareness and knowledge of occupational diseases among employers and workers.

        Employers using hazardous chemicals are required to submit chemical safety data sheets or materials safety data sheets (MSDS) to the government authorities, in accordance with the provisions of the Hazardous Substance Act, and the Notification on Work Safety Relating to Hazardous Chemicals. However, most small enterprises have difficulty obtaining chemical safety data sheets, which form the basis for essential safety measures. A national system should be established to ensure that the suppliers of chemicals, including the manufacturers and importers of hazardous chemicals, label their products properly and provide chemical safety data sheets. Such a system is crucial if chemical safety is to be promoted.

        It would be useful if the units responsible for chemical safety in the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Public Health shared the information they obtain from industry. A joint effort would be also required to develop a database on chemical safety and to co-ordinate the translation of data sheets such as the International Chemical Safety Cards developed by the UNEP/ILO/WHO International Programme on Chemical Safety. The National Coordinating Committee on Chemical Safety developed the National Master Plan on Chemical Safety (1997-2001) and the plan was approved by Cabinet in November 1996. However the implementation of the plan is at an early stage and inter-ministerial collaboration on workplace chemical safety is still weak.

        More than 16 million people are estimated to be working in agriculture and forestry. While official figures on the number of employed persons in these industries are difficult to obtain, indications are that the number employed is substantial, since 5.7 per cent of injuries compensated by the Workmen’s Compensation Fund occurred in these industries. In addition to examining options for expanding all kinds of occupational safety and health protection to cover all workers in agriculture and forestry, immediate action could be taken to improve safety measures. The first step should be to organize safety inspections by the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare and provincial labour offices, neither of which had carried out any official inspections at the time of writing. There is also a need to examine ways and means of promoting OSH among self-employed workers in these industries, which would require the cooperation of the relevant government authorities.

        The current accident data from the Workmen’s Compensation Fund do not cover small enterprises employing less than 10 workers. Thus the problems of these enterprises are not reflected in the official accident statistics. However, the working conditions and environments in these small enterprises are usually less favourable than those in their larger counterparts due to their limited financial and technical capacity. The available data in other countries indicates higher rates of accidents in small enterprises, calling for intensive efforts on the part of government.

        In 1995, the NICE worked with local labour offices to implement a project designed to promote low-cost practical improvements by applying the ILO Work Improvements in Small Enterprises (WISE) approach. This project was financed by the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare and the Workmen’s Compensation Fund. The practical achievements were summarized in a publication produced by the project, with photographs of workplaces before and after improvements, and an indication of the costs. Continuing these activities, as well as applying them to a wide range of industries and creating a data base, would be a useful way to promote practical improvements.

• Lack of special OSH programmes for priority target groups
• Lack of collaboration between specific industrial associations and the Government
• Lack of technical and financial support for small enterprises

        Employers’ and workers’ organizations in Asia have become active promoters of OSH for their members. Many organizations have established committees and units responsible for occupational safety and health, and the working environment. Thailand is no exception. The active participation of representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations in the national tripartite dialogue on OSH represents an important step toward developing practical policies and programmes.

        In 1997, the Employers’ Confederation of Thailand (ECOT) established a committee on OSH and environment, and a unit on OSH and environment. The staff responsible for the unit completed the Safety Officer Training Course (Professional Level). In 1998, ECOT carried out a study on OSH and environmental protection in establishments in Samutprakan. The objectives of the study were to systematically compile information on the OSH and environmental protection situation and activities in the establishments involved, particularly in the Bang Poo Industrial Estate. The study identified the strengths and weaknesses of the OSH and environmental programmes operating in the surveyed area. The taskforce which directed the study is working on future action plans.

        The Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry (ECONTHAI) has been active in providing OSH training to its members. During 1998-99, it organized a series of training courses for safety officers to provide them with the expertise required by legislation, and trained 261 managers and 402 supervisors. ECONTHAI would like to see a stronger government programme on OSH including the establishment of a separate OSH department, a new and distinct OSH Act and an OSH support programme for small enterprises. ECONTHAI has several members in the newly established Occupational Safety and Health and Working Environment Committee - a tripartite national advisory body on OSH created under the Labour Protection Act (1998). ECONTHAI is expected to actively participate in national tripartite dialogue on the promotion of OSH, and will continue to organize OSH training courses for its members.

Trade unions

        The Labour Congress of Thailand (LCT), Thai Trade Union Congress (TTUC), National Congress of Thai Labour (NCTL) and National Free Labour Unions Congress (NFLUC) have trained a group of OSH trainers with support from the ILO technical cooperation project on workers’ education on OSH funded by Denmark, which was completed in 1998. In recent years, the national trade union centres have been organizing OSH training courses using their own budgets, with financial support from the Workmen’s Compensation Fund. The trade union movement’s action on OSH has risen in recent years, particularly in the wake of the Kader fire in 1993, which killed 188 workers. Trade unions together with NGOs proposed shifting the dates of National Safety Week to May to commemorate the Kader tragedy and persuaded the Government to make the change in 1998. The trade unions have been actively working to establish an autonomous OSH institution which combines the NICE and the Workmen’s Compensation Office and takes care of prevention, compensation and rehabilitation in an integrated manner. In 1997, trade unions played an active part in a tripartite committee which drafted a law which would have enabled this reform. In view of the slow progress towards further consideration of the draft, in May 1999 trade unions working together with NGOs submitted a petition to Parliament containing 50,000 signatures supporting the draft law. The draft law was the first proposed by the people in line with the new Constitution. Although the trade union movement has had an impact on OSH issues at the national level, work by individual unions is still patchy. Most trade unions do not have a concrete strategy for OSH promotion and have difficulties allocating sufficient funding for OSH training programmes. The participation of trade union leaders in the tripartite dialogue on OSH at the national level is rather weak.

        The Safety and Health at Work Promotion Association (Thailand), called SHAWPAT, was established in 1987 to promote OSH, spread OSH knowledge and experience, work with governmental and non-governmental agencies to conduct OSH activities, and promote coordination between governmental and non-governmental agencies. It has more than 3,210 individual members and 505 institutional (mostly enterprise) members. The SHAWPAT has organized a number of OSH training courses in cooperation with the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare. It has also conducted a significant number of seminars with international agencies and associations in foreign countries.

        The Occupational Health and Safety at Work Association (OHSWA) was established in 1988, charged with providing technical services and support to enterprises, government and trade unions, disseminating OSH information, creating public awareness of OSH, undertaking research, and promoting professional skills in OSH. In 1998, the OHSWA had 355 professional members and 862 general members. Forty per cent of its professional members were working in universities and government agencies. The rest of its professional members and most of its general members were employed in the private sector. The OHSWA has been active in providing advisory and monitoring services to enterprises and organizing technical conferences. It has also facilitated networking between OSH specialists and staff in Thailand.

        Mahidol University has been training industrial hygienists for more than 20 years. Many other universities including Chulalongkorn, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai and Burapah offer occupational safety and health programmes and courses. Most universities with medical, engineering, science, and nursing facilities have incorporated OSH elements into their teaching curricula, with qualified academic staff.

        A number of scientists and lecturers in academic institutions have extensive knowledge and skills that can be used to promote OSH. The effective mobilization of the technical capacity contained in universities’ research and training programmes is indispensable for the nationwide promotion of OSH in Thailand in the future. Networking between university units active in the OSH field and sharing teaching materials and experiences will greatly enhance the quality of each programme. The participation of university staff in the OSH programmes of the Government and employers’ and workers’ organizations should be encouraged.

        The ILO/FINNIDA ASIA-OSH Programme and the Mahidol University are developing a directory of OSH activities, capabilities, and interests in academic institutions, which will provide a tool for future OSH planning, management and research cooperation. The directory will allow more efficient use of the OSH capacity of academic institutions, especially by government agencies. It will also assist institutions in other countries as well as international agencies to identify Thai academic groups for project partnership. The directory was scheduled for release in June 1999, in printed form and on a website.

• Development of concrete strategies for OSH promotion and for sustainable OSH programmes by employers’ and workers’ organizations
• Active participation of employers’ and workers’ organizations in national tripartite dialogue on OSH policy and programme formulation
• Mobilization of OSH technical capacities within academic institutions

        With the expansion of the coverage of the Workmen’s Compensation Scheme, the accident claim data in the Fund offers valuable information on the OSH situation in Thailand. Coverage was expanded in 1993 to include all establishments with 10 or more workers, and accident analysis from compensation claims now provides a better picture of the OSH situation, although as discussed in an earlier section, there is much room for improvement. Improvements in the analysis of occupational accident and disease data available through the Workmen’s Compensation Scheme should be persistently pursued, taking advantage of all opportunities, including computerization of the claim handling process, revision of the claim form and further expansion of the coverage to take in smaller enterprises.

Financial support

        In addition to the provision of data on occupational accidents and diseases to OSH programmes, the Workmen’s Compensation Fund provides substantial financial support to the OSH programmes. Clause 28 of Chapter 3 of the Workmen’s Compensation Act allows the use of 22 per cent of the interest earned by the Fund for OSH programmes and rehabilitation programmes for injured workers. Support for OSH programmes includes financing the establishment of new RICE centres, research, seminars and training courses which are carried out by the Government, employers’ and workers’ organizations and universities. In 1998 a total of more than 50 million Baht was allocated to programmes of this sort. The selection of the OSH programmes to be financed from the Fund has been the responsibility of a sub-committee of the Tripartite Board of the Workmen’s Compensation Fund. The results of activities including research and training courses have not been made widely available to the public.

• Collaboration between the Workmen’s Compensation Fund Office and the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare in accident data analysis
• Effective management of the OSH support fund from the Workmen’s Compensation Fund

Updated by PAP/SUT/TRS. Approved by BKL. Last update: 1 September 2000.