WORKPLACE SAFETY ENABLERS & BARRIERS

Dr Janis Jansz
World Safety Organisation National Office for Australia.
 PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• Presentation background information

• Workplace safety and health enablers and barriers for
Indonesia, Canada, USA, Kenya, Nigeria, Myanmar, Lebanon,
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Philippines, Taiwan and Western
Australia.
• World Safety Day message
• Presentation summary
 WORLD SAFETY ORGANISATION (WSO)

• Formed in 1975 at a Safety Conference in the Philippines so that the

people who attended this conference could continue to work together
to improve occupational safety worldwide.
• WSO has an annual conference each year for people worldwide to
meet and share occupational safety and health knowledge. The next
WSO Conference is from the 2nd to the 4th of October 2023 in Odessa,
Texas, USA.
• At each conference there is a Round Table Meeting on a theme related
to meeting the World Safety Organisation Aim to improve occupational
safety worldwide. The recommendations from this meeting are provided
to the United Nations Economic & Social Council with which the WSO
has consultative status.
WORKPLACE SAFETY ENABLERS & BARRIERS

• In 2020 the report of the WSO Conference Round Table

Meeting was published as an article in the World Safety
Journal. The article was titled Workplace Safety Enablers
and Barriers. This presentation is on the published findings of
this round table meeting.
• It includes information from 61 people from 12 countries,
including Indonesia, on barriers and enablers for workplace
safety and health.
 INDONESIA
ENABLERS

• Occupational safety & health (OSH) commenced in Indonesia in 1910 when the
government launched the Veiligheids Reglement 1910 regulation for general industry
and Mijn Politie Reglement for the mining industry.
• Since this time there have been updates in occupational health and safety legislation
that have improved workplace safety and protected employee health.
• In 1990 the Indonesian Government set an Indonesia National Occupational Safety
and Health Month, from 12 January to 12 February each year, which is commemorated
annually throughout Indonesia. During this time the Indonesian government presents
OSH Awards for excellence in promoting workplace safety and health.
• Workplaces in Indonesia have safety management systems. Gold Flag Awards are
presented to companies that have implemented their OHS Management System with a
minimum achievement of 85%.
• The Ministry of Manpower issues a Safety Certificate for Safety Experts for various skills
such as general safety, pressure vessel, boiler, chemical, etc. to the employer or
company to appoint the person as a Certified Safety Officer.
 INDONESIA
BARRIERS

• In 2021, there were 234,370 reported occupational accidents which

resulted in the death of 6,552 workers, an increase of 5.7% compared to
2020 (Ministry of Manpower, 2022, p.X. The Indonesian National OSH Profile 2022).
• The Indonesian citizens’ safety culture, especially among workers, is still
low. Many workers do not care about OSH rules and do not use them
without strict supervision.
• A problem that is felt by the Indonesian OSH Practitioners, is the weakness
of OSH law enforcement, because in the Indonesian Law No. 1 of 1970,
proclaimed 53 years ago, the penalty for breaching this OSH Act is a fine
of 100,000 IDR (Indonesian Rupiah) (A$10.31).
 CANADA
ENABLERS
• The Canadian Government enforces workplace safety and health laws that are
followed by workplace employers, employees and other relevant people.
• Company work contracts are awarded following a review of the company safety
records.
• For breaching the law a company may be charged and fines have approached $1.5
million depending upon the offence and the negligence by the employer.
• Without good workplace safety, in Canada insurance premiums become too
expensive so, for cost effective company management, the CEO must support
workplace safety and safety is promoted from the top down.
• In Canada employees can belong to a Union which promotes workplace safety. If a
supervisor asks a worker to do unsafe work, and the worker dies as a result of doing this
work, then the supervisor will be penalized with a fine or criminal prosecution with
potential for jail time.
• Employees are expected to own safety and have the right to refuse any unsafe work
requests and can report a supervisor who asks them to perform unsafe work.
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ENABLERS
• The OHS law requires that employers provide a safe and healthy workplace
free from recognized hazards. If employers do not develop appropriate
safety programs to manage workplace hazards and employees are injured
and both the CEO and the company are found to be negligent, it is likely
they will be found liable outside of the no-fault workers’ compensation
system and can be sued for not having workplace, or/and work processes or
employee safety to protect workers.
• Significant attention and resources have been focused on methods to
develop and improve safety climate and culture in USA companies. An
example of safety culture is water in an aquarium. The water affects
everything that happens in the tank; so it is with safety in the work
environment.
• It was stated that safety is about building personal relationships. People do
not care about how much the Safety Professional knows, until they know how
much the Safety Professional cares.
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BARRIERS

• A barrier reported in the USA in the commercial construction industry was

when the scheduled completion of the project was behind schedule
and/or over budget, safety was no longer a priority, instead there was a
requirement to deliver your portion of the project, no matter how you do
it.
• It was stated that it was important for a Safety Consultant to quit their
client if the client would not listen to what the Safety Consultant had to
say when there was a poor safety culture in the workplace and the
problems with the client stemmed from management practices and
company policies.
 KENYA – EAST AFRICA
ENABLERS
• The government has the power to inspect any workplace at any time. DOSHS-
Kenya, as the Regulator, may issue improvement and/or prohibition notices to
workplaces that do not comply with the Occupational Health and Safety
Standards (as provided for in the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2007).
DOSHS-Kenya has the power to shut down/ cease operation of any/ all
activities if this is required for workplace safety.
• The workers have strong union support for safety and will always reach DOSHS-
Kenya representatives / officers and inspectors through
doshdept@labour.go.ke if their safety requirements are not met internally as
laid down in the safety procedures.
• The Workplace Safety Professional Association of Kenya, to which most safety
professionals belong, shares updates on improving, sustaining safe work
practices and enhancing professionalism to safety practitioners.
 NIGERIA
ENABLERS

In Nigeria some children have access to some safety

education courtesy of advocacy initiatives of safety
professionals. Direct training and story books are used
to share the safety messages with them.
 MYANMAR
BARRIERS

• Myanmar has 18 workplace safety and health laws administered by the

Ministry of Labour, 2 administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, 2
administered by the Myanmar Fire Service Department, 4 administered by the
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, 2 administered
by the Ministry of Industry, 2 administered by the Ministry of Health, 1
administered by the Ministry of Social Welfare Relief and Resettlement, 1
administered by the Ministry of Construction, 1 administered by the Ministry of
Transport and Communications, and 1 administered by the Yangon City
Development Committee.
• The Occupational Safety & Health Law, 2019, was to be proclaimed but there
was a military takeover of the government so this law has not been
proclaimed.
 LEBANON
BARRIERS

• Even though improvements have been made, there exists no real

evidence that the improvements have made a significant
difference in occupational safety and health in Lebanon. What is
urgently needed is a change in policy and operations at
ministerial and legislative levels. Besides, an efficient and effective
enforcement system is deemed necessary.
• There exists no system for monitoring occupational injuries and an
unknown but small proportion of employers have insured their
workplace and workers against accidents.
 MIDDLE EAST – KUWAIT
ENABLERS

Workplace safety and health was mainly promoted through the work
of individual safety and health professionals. They achieved a high
standard of workplace safety and health by the Safety Professional
promoting management to conduct Safety walk and talks, toolbox
talks, inspections of facilities and vehicles, full enforcement of the
internal Rules of Safety and to listen to what employees wanted to be
done to improve their safety. Success was also due to the
engagement of employees by management, the Employee
Representative/s and the Safety Professional’s passion for workplace
and work processes safety. Successful workplace safety was
promoted by looking at workers as people (not just employees) as
when care was shown employees listened.
 SAUDI ARABIA
BARRIER

Everything is controlled through family power. Without the right

connections the Safety Professional is unable to do anything to
improve workplace safety.
 QATAR
ENABLERS
• There is very strong commitment by the Government towards workplace health
and safety. Guidance documents and procedures such as the Qatar construction
safety guide, work zone traffic management guide, Qatar labour law, contractor
HSE plans, Risk assessments, Method statements, HSE regulations for contractors
and related internationally acceptable Workplace HSE requirements are available
and imposed upon all companies and organizations before works, during works
and are audited after work commences to ensure implementations.
• Government bodies responsible for awarding projects are obligated to provide
monitoring and supervision of workplace safety implementations. Organizations
must submit pre-qualification information when bidding for projects and among
other things, provide company workplace health and safety records which are a
major factor considered before projects are awarded. The workplace health and
safety budget is awarded by the Government prior to work commencement to
ensure arrangements of workplace health and safety are provided and achieved.
 QATAR
BARRIERS

As it is with most authoritarian regimes, labour unions and

organized workplace safety and health institutions are not
independently available which has left safety professionals by
themselves, with some support from committed management
and no support if the management is not committed.
 PHILIPPINES
ENABLERS

Has Republic Act No. 11058 entitled An Act Strengthening Compliance with
Occupational Safety and Health Standards and Providing Penalties for
Violations Thereof which was proclaimed in 2018 and the DOLE Department
Order No. 198-18, Implementing Rules and Regulations of this law to promote
workplace safety and health. If employees perceive that there is imminent
work related danger employees are now able to stop and refuse to do unsafe
work without retaliation from the employer (s.6), have the right to report work
related accidents (s.7), to be provided with personal protective equipment if
this is required for safe work (s.8), and are entitled to workers’ compensation for
work related disability or death (s.27). It includes the rights and responsibilities
of employers, employees, worker representatives, the prescribed training and
qualifications required by safety officers, and the penalties for not meeting
these responsibilities. Fines range from 20,000 to 100,000 pesos.
 TAIWAN
ENABLERS

Safety professionals have set up an industrial safety inspection

team to perform inspection that include projects and general
work safety inspections. The purpose of the safety inspections is to
detect unsafe health factors and potential dangers at an early
stage, so related safety and health personnel can immediately
review and improve workplace and work process factors to
prevent disasters and accidents and protect the safety and
health of workers.
 WESTERN AUSTRALIA
ENABLERS

• Has workplace health and safety education for children in primary and in
high school.
• Has workplace health and safety legislation that covers the rights and
responsibilities of the person in charge of the business or undertaking,
workers, health and safety representatives, the workplace health and safety
committee, contractors, and everyone who comes onto the work premises
or who may be affected by the work. Health covers both physical and
mental health. This legislation is enforced.
• Outcome. During the year 2020–2100, there were 17 work-related fatalities
in Western Australia (latest statistics available from the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and
Safety, 2022). (Over the same period of time there were 6,552 work related fatalities in Indonesia).
 WORLD SAFETY DAY MESSAGE

https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/how-the-ilo-works/ilo-
director-general/statements-and-
speeches/WCMS_878574/lang--en/index.htm
 SUMMARY
WHAT WERE THE MOST COMMON BARRIERS?

• The main barriers identified were employees not feeling valued

by their employer.
• Clients not listening to the Safety Professionals’ advice.
• No management support for workplace safety.
• Focus on work completion on time or finance leading to safety
ignored.
• Having weak or no government enforcement of workplace
safety and health law.
• Having a poor employee safety culture in the workplace.
• Not all employees having the right to refuse to do unsafe work.
 SUMMARY
WHAT WERE THE MOST COMMON ENABLERS?
• The main enablers to having a high standard of workplace safety and health
were having support from everyone in the workplace and from enforced
government laws.
• Having a workplace culture of caring for everyone.
• Everyone educated about workplace safety including hazard identification,
risk assessment, risk control and mitigation.
• Being able to stop work if there was a risk of harm.
• Allowing time, and providing resources for employee involvement in
workplace safety and health.
• Having regular workplace inspections and safety improvements.
• Having educated, qualified Safety Professionals.
• Having people passionate about workplace, work processes and employee
safety and health.
Any Questions?
Thank you

Presenter:

Dr Janis Jansz
Contact Email Address:

j.jansz@curtin.edu.au

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