Reinvigorating Indonesian OSH programmes by keeping young workers safe

Indonesian representatives from the Ministry of Manpower, employers’ and workers’ organizations as well as youth champions actively participated in the five-day training course on occupational safety and health (OSH) for young people and workers. The training was a follow-up to the theme of this year’s World Day for Safety and Health on improving OSH for young workers.

In the training course, “Subregional Training Course: National Strategies to Ensure OSH for Young Workers” held in Viet Nam in mid of July, the Indonesian representatives— Gumilang Mohamad Yani, a labour inspector of the Ministry of Manpower, Dr. Harjono from the Indonesian Employers’ Association (Apindo), Sri Rejeki from the Indonesian Prosperity Labour Union (KSBSI) and Nur Chariroh Iskandar, a representative of the Indonesian youth champions—learnt about and examined the ILO’s international guidelines, principles and tools related to OSH and young workers.

As the representative of Indonesian youth, I am grateful to have this opportunity so that I could further raise the awareness of Indonesian youth and workers about the importance of OSH. Most of young people do not yet consider OSH issues as their issues and as a result do not take OSH seriously."

Nur Chariroh Iskandar, a representative of the Indonesian youth champion

Together with other participants from the Philippines, Myanmar and Viet Nam, they also shared experiences and best practices on national OSH system and programmes focusing on youth vulnerabilities and the protection of young workers.

“As the representative of Indonesian youth, I am grateful to have this opportunity so that I could further raise the awareness of Indonesian youth and workers about the importance of OSH. Most of young people do not yet consider OSH issues as their issues and as a result do not take OSH seriously,” said Nur Chariroh, a university student who were one of the youth champions participated in the XXI World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in Singapore last year.

The course has provided the participants with a useful framework to be involved in the decision-making process for the improvement and development of OSH system governance within the respective countries. This is a useful training course to reinvigorate OSH programmes in Indonesia."

Abdul Hakim, the ILO’s National Project Coordinator of the USDOL-funded SafeYouth@Work Project

Comparing with child workers, young workers are a “new term” for Indonesia. However both child workers and young workers relatively face similar conditions in terms of OSH. Both of them are easily exposed to risks and hazards that could hamper their future and/or life.

The participation of Indonesian youth in promoting OSH is crucial. About half the 130 million population is under the age of 30. Many young workers in Indonesia work in sectors with a high risk of workplace accidents and disease, such as the construction sector.

Many of the more than 8 million construction workers, a large proportion of whom are young workers, lack sufficient knowledge of work-related hazards and risks, while a lack of bargaining power can lead young workers to accept dangerous tasks, or jobs with poor OSH conditions.

This National OSH Profile can provide guidelines towards the realization of the OSH culture in the country."

Dr. Harjono from the Indonesian Employers’ Association (Apindo)

Considering the youth vulnerability, the training course further explained that risks and/or occupational disease and injuries are preventable. Some practical steps were highlighted during the training—starting from developing measures, followed by searching relevant statistical data and ensuring the political will from the policy makers to provide funds.

“The course has provided the participants with a useful framework to be involved in the decision-making process for the improvement and development of OSH system governance within the respective countries. This is a useful training course to reinvigorate OSH programmes in Indonesia,” stated Abdul Hakim, the ILO’s National Project Coordinator of the USDOL-funded SafeYouth@Work Project.

We need to continue improving the OSH awareness among young workers as ways to strengthen the application of OSH at the workplace and realize the OSH culture in the country."

Sri Rejeki from the Indonesian Prosperity Labour Union (KSBSI)

As a follow-up for Indonesia, Dr. Harjono proposed the development of National OSH Profile and Programme, jointly developed by relevant, various stakeholders from government agencies, employers, workers, academia and youth. “This National OSH Profile can provide guidelines towards the realization of the OSH culture in the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sri Rejeki highlighted the commitment of the trade unions towards the better implementation of OSH, particularly for young workers. “We need to continue improving the OSH awareness among young workers as ways to strengthen the application of OSH at the workplace and realize the OSH culture in the country,” she said.

The training course was conducted by the ILO through its SafeYouth@Work Project, in collaboration with the ILO’s International Training Centre in Turin, Italy. The SafeYouth@Work Project aims to improve OSH among workers up to the age of 24, and to build a culture of prevention on OSH.

Funding is provided by the United States Department of Labor under cooperative agreement number IL-26690-14-75-K-11.
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. One hundred percentage of the total costs of the project or program is financed with Federal funds, for a total of 11,443,156 dollars.