JAKARTA (Joint Press Release) – As a continued effort to enhance the COVID-19 prevention measures in workplaces as well as encourage the creation of preventive culture in occupational safety and health (OSH), the International Labour Organization (ILO) together with the Indonesian Employers’ Association’s (Apindo) Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) unit and the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association (PHRI) signed a partnership agreement on the COVID-19 risk assessment service for workplaces in Jakarta today (25/01).

The partnership aims to encourage the participation of association members to take part in the risk assessment service for COVID-19 transmission in the workplace. This service will support business continuity, workplace resilience and worker protection by increasing COVID-19 transmission prevention measures as guided by OSH doctors.

Through this service, business actors can identify, assess and manage distinct risks of COVID-19 of each workplace. The risk assessment was developed based on the national guidelines to support businesses to operate more safely and sustainable during the pandemic.

Various industries and sectors have suffered losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and SMEs as well as the hospitality industry are among the hardest hit. Despite having a significant role in driving economic growth and providing employment, SMEs are still battling with the OSH management in the workplace making them at higher vulnerabilities when crises strike such as this COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the restrictions on the movement and travel that cause a fall in the tourism activities have negatively impacted the hotel and restaurant industry.

Inevitably, it is important for the hotel and restaurant sectors as well as SMEs to develop new strategies that are not only adjustable to the market and customer needs, yet also able to build a sense of safety and security during the pandemic. Therefore, through the participation in the COVID-19 risk assessment service, SMEs, hotels and restaurant sectors can emerge stronger from the crisis through developing initiatives that are in line with the new normal procedures and strengthening the implementation of the OSH management system.

Chairperson of Apindo, Hariyadi B. Sukamdani stated that Apindo and PHRI as business associations are interested in building a partnership with the ILO’s project that offers a free COVID-19 risk assessment service to enhance workplace safety and business resiliency. “This collaboration is aimed to raise SMEs and hotel industry awareness regarding the importance of applying COVID-19 health protocols and OSH principles at the workplaces,” he said.

Further, Hariyadi explained that the collaboration is hoped to increase the number of association members to register their workplaces through the ILO’s risk assessment service as it is important for SMEs to have OSH awareness by applying user-friendly and effective technology.

The main goal of the collaboration with the ILO’s risk assessment service launched today is to accelerate the re-opening of workplaces that in turn perpetuate easiness for the new jobseeker graduates to secure jobs. “Apindo and PHRI is in its best interest to assure OSH at workplace to create the highest possible productivity so that we can keep on employing, expanding employment opportunities and enhancing people’s welfare,” concluded Hariyadi.

Through the Enhancing COVID-19 Prevention at and through Workplaces Project, the ILO together with its partners from the governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, OSH experts and relevant institutions have provided a free COVID-19 risk assessment service to more than 1,500 workplaces in Indonesia. With the support from the Government of Japan, the service also aims to integrate the health education as part of the promotive and preventive efforts on OSH during the pandemic.

Michiko Miyamoto, ILO Director for Indonesia and Timor-Leste emphasized that the worker protection and business continuity are the priorities to lift Indonesia's economic growth and labour productivity during and after the COVID-19 crisis. “This service will provide benefits to business actors to prevent transmission and build a safe and healthy workplace. This service also encourages efforts to build stronger OSH mechanisms in the workplace,” said Michiko.

“As the spread of infection by the Omicron Variant is expected, it is important for each workplace to take measures to prevent infection. We hope that as many workplaces as possible, especially for SMEs, will use this risk assessment service to strengthen their infection prevention efforts to ensure the safety of workers and the continuation of business,” said Hiroki Sasaki, Labour Attaché of the Economic Section, Embassy of Japan in Indonesia.

The live streaming of the partnership launch can be viewed on ILO TV Indonesia

For more information, please contact:

Adelin Alexandra
Communication Officer for the ILO's COVID-19 Prevention at Workplace
Email: alexandra@ilo.org