SEMINAR
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OSH strategies and programmes ILO Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No.155): by Dr. Jukka Takala |
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Progress on OSH Act for Thailand: by Associate Prof. Dr. Chalermchai Chaikittiporn |
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Phosgene leak at the Thai Polycarbonate factory: by Mrs. Kasemsri Homcheun |
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Role of OSH information: by Dr. Jukka Takala |
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ILO Session: OSH strategies and
programmes
ILO Occupational Safety and Health
Convention, 1981 (No.155)
by Dr. Jukka Takala
Director, ILO/SafeWork Programme
Globally, occupational diseases and accidents have claimed about 335,550 fatalities, 250 million occupational injuries, and 160 million cases of work-related disease. National losses in GDP amount to 4 per cent, and the ILO estimates that the death rate amounts to 1.2 million from a world-wide working population of 2,700 million. In Thailand, this would suggest 14,000 deaths out of a working population of 32 million, together with costs incurred by work-related diseases in eight major classes: musculoskeletal disorders, neurosystem diseases and injuries, cardiovascular diseases, occupational dermatoses, respiratory system illnesses, mental disorders, and cancer.
The impact of major accidents around the world includes major losses in health and assets, with the following priority problems for developed countries:
- stress;
- ageing workforce;
- right to know;
- chemicals;
- ergonomics;
- safety culture and management;
- OSH services; and
- new technologies.
Priority problems for developing countries, on the other hand, include these:
- agriculture;
- other dangerous occupations;
- major accidents and fire;
- safety, housekeeping, and productivity;
- silicosis work-related diseases;
- vulnerable groups such as child workers; and
- transfer of technology.
The ILO has established international standards through such Conventions as Occupational Safety and Health, 1981 (No. 155); Occupational Health Services, 1985 (No. 161); Labour Inspection, 1947 (No. 81) and another 88 Conventions setting the following goals:
- protecting workers in hazardous jobs;
- extending protection into the informal sector;
- promoting worker health and well-being; and
- showing that protection pays.
Therefore, OSH strategies should promote
- knowledge advocacy and capacity building;
- integration of issues such as drug and alcohol abuse, stress, and work-place support to HIV/AIDS programmes;
- gender analysis and planning; and
- global cooperation in technical knowledge.
Associated major outputs include
- new standards on agriculture;
- implementation and reviews of existing standards;
- a global statistical programme on hazardous occupations and sectors;
- reports on related economic issues;
- national action programmes such as those on chemical safety, major hazard control, and silicosis;
- training programmes and materials; and
- international exchange of information and experiences.
Core ILO Safety and Health Conventions such as Nos. 155, 161 and 81 provide member countries with useful guidance in the effective implementation of OSH. Convention No.81 (Labour Inspection) has been ratified by 122 countries. Finland, Norway, and Sweden have ratified all the core safety and health Conventions: Occupational Safety and Health, 1981 (No. 155); Occupational Health Services, 1985 (No. 161); Chemicals, 1990 (No. 170); and Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents, 1993 (No.174).
With these Conventions and associated recommendations as guidance, the official launch of the Thai SafeWork Programme should effectively address major hazard control (chemicals), silicosis elimination, construction safety, and safe work in agriculture, SMEs and other occupations.
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National presentation: Progress on OSH Act for Thailand
by Associate Prof. Dr. Chalermchai
Chaikittiporn
Head of the Department of Occupational Health and Safety
Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University
The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MOLSW) has established the sub-committee for drafting the Occupational Safety and Health and Working Environment Act. The final draft of the Act has been submitted to the National OSH and Working Environment Committee for their approval and is to be gazetted as an official act.
There follows an outline of the Act (updated 3 July 2000):
- Employers have a duty to ensure a safe workplace and working environment, including the promotion of safe work practices for workers.
- Employers, supervisors, and workers shall cooperate to promote OSH and develop safe and healthful working environments.
- Contractors and sub-contractors have the same duty regarding OSH as do employers.
- Licensed companies shall be allowed to conduct risk assessments, measuring and monitoring work environments and promoting OSH activities and training.
- The Act shall establish a national committee on OSH and the working environment, that committee consisting of four parties: employers representatives, workers representatives, the Government, and academics.
- A Department of OSH and Working Environment shall be established as part of the MOLSW.
- The financial resources needed to promote OSH and a safe and healthy working environment will come from
- initial capital fund;
- the workmen’s compensation fund;
- fines and penalties;
- government subsidies and;
- public donations.
The above financial resources are not returnable to the Ministry of Finance, and must be used to develop and manage OSH and the working environment under the appropriate administrative committee.
- Employers have a duty to implement control measures and supervision, identifying hazards and workplace risks which threaten worker safety and health by means of planning relevant preventive measures.
Additional comments:
- The Government must expedite gazetting of the Act.
- The Act must be consistent with ILO Conventions Nos. 155, 161,170, and 174
- The Act shall protect the health and safety of workers in all sectors and occupations, including state enterprises and government services.
- Considering to establish by assembling the overlappping government agencies to become one Department of Occupational Safety and Health and Working Environment and unify laws and standards as well. The Act will establish a fund for promoting standards regarding major hazard prevention and related research.
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Phosgene leak at the Thai Polycarbonate factory
by Mrs. Kasemsri Homcheun
Manager, Map Ta Put Industrial Estate
On 6 March 2000 at 6.22 p.m., carbonyl chloride gas leaked from the Thai Polycarbonate factory in the Map Ta Put Industrial Estate, Rayong Province. Those persons responsible for the operating area needed 30 minutes to bring the situation under control. Meanwhile, the gas dispersed into the atmosphere and affected the local public, killing 1 and injuring 814. The injured were delivered to medical facilities in Rayong, with all costs (medical care, compensation, lost wages) paid by the company.
Increased pressure due to rising heat broke a flexible Teflon pipe delivering liquid carbonyl to an evaporation container. The liquid carbonyl chloride leaked from an air-tight room to scrubber tower. The situation was exacerbated because a gas detector system had been improperly installed, and it failed to alert the operator before the area was full of toxic gas.
Following the accident, the company spent almost 43 million baht to improve safety control measures. Major improvements included
- gas leak prevention measures inside the air-tight room;
- gas leak prevention measures from the air-tight room;
- gas leak control measures from the air-tight room;
- better gas detection;
- improvement of the scrubber tower;
- process and procedures improvement; and
- others measures such as emergency planning, implementation of OSH standards (TISI 18001), a review of risk assessment, emergency drills, and installation of carbonyl chloride gas masks and respirators.
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ILO session: Role of OSH information
by Dr. Jukka Takala
OSH information dissemination is an important part of the ILO SafeWork Programme, leading to enhanced knowledge- and information-based research and improved methods of communication.
The programme aims to develop and change the behaviour of OSH personnel. Programme materials, including a regular newsletter, emphasize the role of information and information networks, statistics regarding accidents and occupational diseases, chemical safety, organization-based information, and ILO activities. ILO sources for safety and health information include databases, print publications, CD-ROMs, digicards, publication catalogues, and the www.ilo.org/safework website.
The OSH information centre provides internationally applicable resources through its knowledge base; information databases; exchange of experience, including best practices and tools for change; and networking. Published information is to be reviewed and updated by safety professionals.
The ILO has produced an OSH encyclopaedia and CD-ROMs which have been translated into many languages and which are accessible at www.ilo.cis.org.
The SafeWork Programme includes information regarding chemical labelling systems, a rapid response capacity with a hazard alert system, and training modules. Important hazard information includes international chemical safety cards and hazard data sheets, hazard codes, guides, and newsletters and leaflets such as the Asian-Pacific Newsletter or national newsletters produced in countries such as Pakistan and Thailand. Posters, videos, and other training materials also play major roles.
Electronically available information includes the Asia-OSH network and web service at www.ilo.org/asiaosh/; IOMC at www.who.int.iomc; and GINC at www.nihs.go.jp/GINC/index.html.
The SafeWork Programme is also providing technical services to global programmes on safety, health, and the environment conducted by DANIDA, FINNIDA (ASIA-OSH), UNDCP, the ILO, industry, and unions.
Information plays a key role among business leaders and government decision-makers in assessing economic impact. Relevant alliances and partnerships can employ knowledge-based OSH information as a means to public promotion of the issues as well as to advocacy of safety councils, national advisory bodies, enterprise committees, codes of conduct, safety culture, and OSH management systems.
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Updated by SUT/TRS. Approved by BKL. Last update: 4 July 2001.