Labour inspectors across Asia and the Pacific share COVID experiences
Asia-Pacific labour inspection officials shared their experiences, challenges and innovations in dealing with COVID-19
29 September 2020
Bangkok (ILO news) - Senior labour inspection officials from 16 countries across Asia and the Pacific shared their experiences, challenges and innovations when dealing with the coronavirus pandemic at a webinar organised by the ILO on 29 September 2020.
Across much of the region COVID-19 continues to have a negative impact on public health and national economies. Progress against the spread of the virus has been mixed, with some countries managing to bring cases of community transmission under control, while others struggle to contain the outbreak.
Whether countries have re-opened their economies, are still in lockdown, or somewhere in between, labour inspectorates play a key role in developing and monitoring occupational health and job retention measures – all while working to carry out their regular mandate of enforcing national labour laws and occupational safety and health standards.
Given the variety of national circumstances and inspectorate responses, the webinar was an opportunity for labour inspection regulators to compare notes on how their institutions are fairing during the crisis.
“It was great to be a part of this ILO initiative,” said Steve Ronson, Executive Director Enforcement for Australia’s Fair Work Ombudsman. “It was a valuable opportunity to engage with other inspectorates in our region and understand how they have approached regulation during the pandemic. The webinar format worked well and allowed us to meet safely during this time and I’m looking forward to more events like this."
The event was attended by 104 participants from 16 countries and featured presentations from six national inspectorates: Australia, Fiji, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Singapore (see the link on this page to their presentations).
Speakers described their operational challenges along with the innovative strategies they have adopted in response. These include improved methods for remote monitoring of workplace compliance; communication technology to manage and prioritize significant increases in complaints; coordinating with other relevant regulators for a whole-of-government response; providing advisory services to enterprises on hygiene modifications as well as job retention programmes; collaborating with employers’ and workers’ organizations to improve outreach; and protecting the physical and mental wellbeing of inspectors.
“The presentations and discussions highlighted that while national laws don’t always define labour inspection as an ‘essential service’, the pandemic has confirmed the essential character of labour inspection to counter the disease and uphold standards of decent work, especially during a health and economic crisis,” said René Robert, ILO Senior Labour Administration and Labour Inspection Specialist in Bangkok.
The online meeting was a continuation of the ILO’s work to support labour inspectorates in their pandemic responses through the publication and sharing of COVID-19 guidance materials and tools, and through the convening of meetings of inspection officials to share examples of good labour inspection practice in response to the pandemic.
Across much of the region COVID-19 continues to have a negative impact on public health and national economies. Progress against the spread of the virus has been mixed, with some countries managing to bring cases of community transmission under control, while others struggle to contain the outbreak.
Whether countries have re-opened their economies, are still in lockdown, or somewhere in between, labour inspectorates play a key role in developing and monitoring occupational health and job retention measures – all while working to carry out their regular mandate of enforcing national labour laws and occupational safety and health standards.
Given the variety of national circumstances and inspectorate responses, the webinar was an opportunity for labour inspection regulators to compare notes on how their institutions are fairing during the crisis.
“It was great to be a part of this ILO initiative,” said Steve Ronson, Executive Director Enforcement for Australia’s Fair Work Ombudsman. “It was a valuable opportunity to engage with other inspectorates in our region and understand how they have approached regulation during the pandemic. The webinar format worked well and allowed us to meet safely during this time and I’m looking forward to more events like this."
The event was attended by 104 participants from 16 countries and featured presentations from six national inspectorates: Australia, Fiji, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Singapore (see the link on this page to their presentations).
Speakers described their operational challenges along with the innovative strategies they have adopted in response. These include improved methods for remote monitoring of workplace compliance; communication technology to manage and prioritize significant increases in complaints; coordinating with other relevant regulators for a whole-of-government response; providing advisory services to enterprises on hygiene modifications as well as job retention programmes; collaborating with employers’ and workers’ organizations to improve outreach; and protecting the physical and mental wellbeing of inspectors.
“The presentations and discussions highlighted that while national laws don’t always define labour inspection as an ‘essential service’, the pandemic has confirmed the essential character of labour inspection to counter the disease and uphold standards of decent work, especially during a health and economic crisis,” said René Robert, ILO Senior Labour Administration and Labour Inspection Specialist in Bangkok.
The online meeting was a continuation of the ILO’s work to support labour inspectorates in their pandemic responses through the publication and sharing of COVID-19 guidance materials and tools, and through the convening of meetings of inspection officials to share examples of good labour inspection practice in response to the pandemic.