Commemorating the World Day for Safety and Health at Work: Interactive Talkshow on OSH and SMEs in Indonesia

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia have become a significant support to the sustainable development of the economy and important channel to adsorb surplus labour forces. However, the SMEs are still facing many challenges. One of them is how to raise productivity while improving occupational safety and health and working conditions.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia have become a significant support to the sustainable development of the economy and important channel to adsorb surplus labour forces. However, the SMEs are still facing many challenges. One of them is how to raise productivity while improving occupational safety and health and working conditions.

Safe and healthy development of SMEs in Indonesia concerns not only people’s well-being but also a new global interest in an approach to sustainable development in which social, economic and environmental dimensions come together. This convergence is clearly expressed in the world of work because sustainable development must be based on productive and decent work that also respects people, wherever they work, their lives and the environment.

The ILO through its Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) Programme has developed training modules to help SMEs in Indonesia to boost quality and productivity, improve working conditions, reduce environmental footprints and strengthen collaboration and communication between employers and workers. It helps enterprises to be more competitive in global market, thereby creating jobs.

Launched in July 2010, the ILO’s SCORE programme is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). SCORE Modules 1 to 5 are now available in Bahasa Indonesia and being adapted to the conditions of SMEs in Indonesia. The SCORE Modules 1 to 5 cover issues on workplace cooperation, quality management, productivity and cleaner production, human resources management and occupational safety and health.

In addition, the ILO celebrates the World Day for Safety and Health at Work on the 28 April to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally. It is an awareness-raising campaign intended to focus international attention on emerging trends in the field of occupational safety and health and on the magnitude of work-related injuries, diseases and fatalities worldwide.

The 28th of April is also a day in which the world's trade union movement holds its International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers to honour the memory of victims of occupational accidents and diseases and organize worldwide mobilizations and campaigns on this date. The celebration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work is an integral part of the Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health of the ILO and promotes the creation of a global preventative safety and health culture involving all stakeholders.