Statistics – tip of the iceberg

According to a report of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, last year saw 5,881 labour-related accidents in 64 provinces and cities, leaving 536 dead and 1.142 injured. However, the figure only reflects one-tenth of reality, said general director of the Labour Safety Department, Doan Minh Hoa. In many provinces and cities, only 5-8 percent of businesses were included in the statistics.

According to a report by the Ministry of Health, in 2006 only 24 provinces and cities provided medical checks-up to 11 occupational diseases at 200 production units in high-risk areas and 5,018 out of 53,863 labourers (9.4 percent) were infected with occupational diseases. From early 2006 to September 2006, there were 2,504 pesticide-poisoning cases, leaving 45 dead.

Since 1999, a national week for labour hygiene and safety and fire-explosion prevention (NWLHS – FEP) has been held every year. However, each year, the number of labour accidents and occupational diseases has not reduced but in fact tends to increase. According to MoLISA, last year, the number of labour accidents increased by 31.13 percent, injured people rose by 31.6 percent and dead increased by 11.75 percent compared to previous year.

When answered why the NWLHS – FEP is held annually but the number of labour accidents and occupational diseases still increase, Mrs Hoa said labour safety must be carried out regularly, instead of only during the week. the NWLHS – FEP was launched with an aim of accelerating awareness of the need to ensure labour sanitation and safety and phase out dangers of fire and explosion.

The increasing number of labour accidents is due to a better performance of the statistic system. According to statistics in 2006, southern Binh Duong province led the country in the number of labour accidents with 1,316 cases (accounting for 22.38 percent of the whole country’s figure), leaving 1322 dead and injured (making up 21.1 percent of the whole country’s figure). The figure can be explained by the fact that the province collected data for statistics effectively. More than 30 percent of the province’s businesses were included in the statistics while the figure in many other provinces and cities was as little as 5-8 percent.

Labourers – the pepertrator and the victim

Ho Chi Minh City records the highest number of accidents, with 782 cases, causing 798 deaths. Of 782 cases, 101 were labour accidents which claimed the lives of 103 labourers and seriously injured 99 others. Northern Quang Ninh province ranks second with 59 deaths and 131 injuries, southern Dong Nai province follows with 31 deaths and 57 injuries, and next is southern Binh Duong province with 20 deaths and 20 injuries.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Le Bach Hong, says many labour accidents were caused by the victims’ violation of technical regulations and procedures, which accounts for 15.57 percent of accidents and 15.47 percent of deaths. In such accidents where the victim was also the pepertrator of the fatal accident, a probe could not be carried out. Among 244 labour accidents, just 7 cases or 2.87 percent ended in criminal proceedings.

Ms Doan Minh Hoa says punishments for violations of labour protection are slight which fails to warn those who violate labour safety regulations. The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs is working with the Ministry of Justice and relevant agencies to build new regulations to submit to the Government.

Renovating NWLHS – FEP

At the end of 2006, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs held a meeting to gather opinions from relevant ministries, sectors, and localities on renovating the organising of the NWLHS – FEP. Accordingly, a national week will be held in an economical and effective manner with a view to drawing the interest and acitive participation of employers, labourers and the whole society to labour safety and fire prevention.

This year, the NWLHS – FEP will be held in southern Binh Duong province from March 18-24, under the theme “Improving working conditions, reducing labour accidents, occupational disease and fire prevention”.

Phan Thanh Son, deputy head of the Binh Duong provincial Steering Committee on the NWLHS – FEP, says the national week aims to raise awareness and responsibility of employers, labourers and relevant sectors and agencies about labour safety and fire prevention, to strengthen activities to improve working conditions and to build and promote a labour safety culture in the workplace.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs has asked the ministerial and local Steering Committees to draw from experiences after the national week and send reports to the ministry prior to April 30.