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Work
will begin later this week on the Lao PDR’s first national
programme for Occupational Safety and Health.
International
ILO experts, senior Lao government officials, trade union and
employer representatives will be among more than 50 delegates
attending the second National Tripartite Workshop on Occupational
Safety and Health (OSH). The meeting is being organised by the
Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, from 29-30 July 2004.
The
conference will identify priorities for the country’s first
five-year
OSH
master
programme, which will run from 2005-2009.
It will review the effectiveness of previous safety and
health policies and look for ways to improve and expand training.
The
first national tripartite workshop(bringing together representatives
of government, employers and workers) was held in May 2000 in
Vientiane
. It
selected construction, small enterprises and agriculture as safety
and health priorities. Since then the ILO has held a series of
training programmes, targeting those involved in small and medium
sized enterprises and small construction sites. This week’s
meeting seeks to build on this work, in particular by looking for
ways to expand
OSH
training into the provinces.
The
two-day conference at the Napakuang Resort, Thalath, Vientiane
Province, will be opened by the Vice-Minister of Labour and Social
Welfare, Mr Laoly Phyphengyour, who will also give the opening
speech.
Tsuyoshi
Kawakami, the ILO specialist on Occupational Safety and Health for
East
Asia
, said
“Helping countries to develop national
occupational safety and health action programmes is one of the
ILO’s most important tasks. Good safety and health practices are
easy and cheap to put in place and can make a huge difference to the
health and quality of life of ordinary people.
I am very excited that the Lao PDR has decided to work with
us on this”.
“The
OSH
practices we will be
demonstrating have been tried and tested elsewhere in the region and
we are confident they will work well in
Laos
. We hope that by training a
network of trainers
OSH
protection will filter down to grassroots workplaces, which are the bedrock
of socio-economic development in this country”.
For more information please contact:
Tsuyoshi Kawakami,
ILO
OSH
Specialist
Subregional
Office for
East Asia
,
Bangkok
Mobile
: 09
939 6891
kawakami@ilo.org
Sophy
Fisher
ILO Regional Information Officer
Tel: 02 288 2482
fisher@ilo.org
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Public Information
