Championing a culture of respect and OSH at workplace in Maluku

AMBON, Maluku, Indonesia (ILO Story) - A fish processing company, Harta Samudra, located in Ambon, Maluku, has motivated over two hundred workers by promoting occupational safety and health (OSH) culture and fostering a respectful work environment. Maluku's marine space and water resources encourage the economic development of coastal communities.

Harta Samudra is one of the companies that is the financial pulse of the people there. This marine products processor started from a processing factory at Ambon Harbor in 2008 and is now one of the cold storage centres in Maluku.

More than 200 people in Ambon, Buru Island, Morotai, and Banda work at Harta Samudra's four processing factories, turning fresh fish into high-quality tuna loin products. The Ambon branch employs 81 workers, 25 women workers and 56 male workers.

Processing companies are an essential source of economic opportunity for communities in the area. Harta Samudra has also recruited and trained thousands of small-scale fishermen in Maluku and North Maluku using the handline fishing. Each fisherman preserves the artisanal fishing method of using one hook to catch one yellowfin tuna.

Dozens of Ambon workers process more than five tons of fresh fish daily from nine in the morning. These fish, mostly from local providers, are purchased in loin form and processed into frozen loins, ready for export over the next 42 hours. The processing process includes receiving, washing, loin making, injection, chilling, retouching, storage in an air blast freezer, packaging, cold storage, and loading. They can be exported to Vietnam, Australia, Thailand, and other countries.

Partnership with the ILO and AP2HI

Labour-intensive production processes carry risks and require workers' high commitment. Understanding the importance of a safe working environment, Harta Samudra collaborates with the Indonesian Pole & Line and Handline Tuna FIsheries (AP2HI) and ILO programme to improve workers' rights.

Harta Samudra has obtained Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) certifications, ensuring traceability, sustainability, and ethical production standards. The programme further solidifies Harta Samudra's dedication to OSH protocols and gender equality in the workplace.

Starting in mid-2023, Harta Samudra, along with AP2HI and the ILO, conducted a series of workshops in Ambon. These workshops were divided into two stages: the first focused on enhancing productivity and competitiveness by complying with labour, OSH, and gender standards, followed by OSH management system training. Participants from various d
technical, shared diverse ideas. As previously discussed with Sarah, the company is dedicated to continuous improvement in meeting compliance standards.

© AP2HI

© AP2HI

A month after Harta Samudra participated in the ILO’s first workshop on labour standards, OSH, and gender equality, they exercised a work plan to develop a Bipartite Cooperation Committee (LKS-Bipartite), gender committee, and working group to implement the 5S framework—a method for organising and managing the workplace to ensure safety and enhance productivity – and additional team under the Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Committee (P2K3).

Heldy Angginois, the document controller who is also a certified OSH expert in Harta Samudra, said, “Management and employees responded positively to various training and new knowledge. This enthusiasm formed various teams and documents such as the company’s policy on preventing discrimination and sexual harassment and work plan and procedures for handling such cases.”

Harta Samudra, with the support of AP2HI, completed a safety and health risk assessment in processing areas. It identified risks in the cold storage and installed safety reminders for common hazards such as gas leaks, fires, electrical issues, slips, improper equipment handling, and storage. Furthermore, Harta Samudra supplied additional working boots in different sizes to reduce slipping hazards. Regular training for workers using light fire extinguishers and first aid actions is also part of the work plan.

Zero work accidents

To ensure efficiency, Harta Samudra logs every work accident, which is reviewed monthly by the OSH team and HR department to analyse and address risks. Accidents are reported to local authorities for severe cases.

Harta Samudra is one step ahead in ensuring equal treatment for all workers regardless of gender by having a maternity rights policy and providing safety measures for all workers, including free transportation to the nearest pick-up point for those working overtime.

The new knowledge and improvements made in 2023 are now to be socialised in our other branch offices over the next year. In fact, since February we can confirm that have zero accidents.

Heldy Angginois, the document controller who is also a certified OSH expert in Harta Samudra

The training on discrimination, gender-based violence and harassment that Heldy and Sarah joined inspired them to propose the development of regulation with a precise grieving mechanism for workers who are facing discrimination and violence at work to improve their occupational safety and health. The company’s Director signed a new policy on preventing discrimination, sexual harassment and violence on 20 August 2023.

“The new knowledge and improvements made in 2023 are now to be socialised in our other branch offices over the next year. In fact, since February we can confirm that have zero accidents," said Heldy proudly, who has worked in Harta Samudra for eleven years.

Funding is provided by the United States Department of Labor under cooperative agreement number IL‐35632-75-K. 100 per cent of the total costs of the project are financed with federal funds, for a total of 11 million dollars. This material does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the United States Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the United States Government.