A week-long campaign was launched in Bac Giang province on March 17 to promote labour safety and prevent labour-related accidents, occupational illnesses, and explosions in the workplace.
In her opening speech, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan acknowledged the efforts ministries, agencies, localities and enterprises have made in ensuring safety for employees and said she hopes to receive more support from international organisations to reduce the number of labour-related accidents.
She asked designated agencies to complete relevant legal documents and mobilise resources for occupational safety and health (OSH) measures, and effectively implement the national programme on OSH and fire and explosion prevention.
She underlined the need to enhance communications campaigns to raise public awareness of labour accidents, fires and explosions in the workplace, especially in high-risk careers, small- and medium-sized enterprises, and craft villages.
The legislator also called on employees to take preventive measures to protect themselves from such accidents in the workplace.
Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen said that 6,770 labour accidents occurred last year, an increase of 15 percent over 2011.
These accidents affected 700,000 employees, of whom 606 died (up 5.6 percent) and 1,400 were seriously injured.
Most accidents were reported in the construction, mining, mechanical and assembling sectors at big industrial centres in HCM City, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Ha Tinh, Quang Ninh, and Hanoi.
Last year, more than 2 million employees were given regular medical check-ups and 27,500 cases contracted occupational illnesses, mainly silicosis and deafness.
More than 1,900 fires were also recorded in 2012, up 5 percent over 2011, killing 73 people and injuring 130 others. Eleven people were killed and 20 others were injured in 20 explosions across the country.
At the launch ceremony, Danish ambassador to Vietnam John Nielsen and representatives from international social welfare organisations shared their experiences and made recommendations concerning labour safety and fire prevention.
The central province of Thua Thien-Hue will host the 16th labour safety week next year.
Source: VOV