CONTEMPORARY HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES

IN VIETNAM
WORKPLACE
SAFETY
CONSTRUCTION

ACCIDENTS

1. Actual facts
2012, out of 6000 cases of industrial accidents, 70% of that belongs to
construction accidents
o Collapse constructions scaffold and other equipment (10%)
o Construction Site Falls (55%)
o Roof Falls
o Scaffolding Falls
o Elevator Shaft Falls
o Roof Related Falls
o Electrical accidents (24%)
o Electric Shock
o Electrocutions
o Power Line Contact
o Unsafe equipment
26.5% death cases belong to construction accidents.
26% workplace accidents because of workers themselves
59% workplace accidents because of the employers responsibilities
2. Reasons
Temporary workers
o Reluctant to attend workplace safety classes
Working environment of construction sites are dangerous
In small construction sites, small constructors lacks in having qualified equipment
and financial backups
In big projects, owners and prime constructors recruit low-qualified workers to
reduce the cost
Lacks of safety harnesses
Lack of working safety procedure for employees, lack of training for the employees
3. Solutions
Construction organizations have to strictly follow the safety working procedures
and regulations
Workers should have meeting every week to discuss about construction workings
experiences

Owners and prime constructors have to invest more on the safety protection
equipment for workers
Requiring contractors to hire independent monitors
Establishing a hot line to report unsafe working conditions
Denying permits to developers who habitually flout the rules

HEALTHCARE FOR WORKERS

OCCUPATIONAL DEAFNESS
Occupational deafness is the loss of hearing disease because of the noise.
1. Facts:
It is the second popular and serious illness in workplace.
In 2009, there was nearly 27000 employees suffering from occupational
diseases, and 15.3% of them got hearing impairment.
The noise in some workplace, for example in cement and brick enterprise, was
18dBA higher than the standard of the government_85dBA.
Noise pollution also influence badly on blood pressure, various digestive,
decreased concentration, decreased labor productivity...
2. Reasons:
Employees exposure to loud noise in the long time without any protective
equipment.
Enterprises don't have the effective method to reduce the noise.
Employees work without awareness of impact of loud noise on them.
3. Solutions:
To minimize occupational deafness, the employer should note the following points:
Reduce noise by isolating sources of noise, making the system doors...
Provide protective equipment for employees' ears.
Arrangement workers in separate rooms, layout reasonable time work.
Periodically check the hearing of workers for early detection and timely treatment
measures.
Training for worker understanding of the harmful effects of noise and occupational
deafness so they voluntarily perform better prevention of occupational diseases
themselves.

COMPENSATION FS
HIV - AIDS
1. Facts:

Most serious disease in Vietnam, with more than 200,000 people affected.
70% patients belong to 20 50 age group.
HIV infection rates are higher for labor workers, especially in transportation and
construction industry have higher, than office workers.

2. Reasons:

Employees lack knowledge about HIV, AIDS.

There is no HIV detection program for employees in workplace.
Employers do not provide adequate information and training about HIV, AIDS.
Employees use drugs, prostitute services for resting from stress.

3. Solutions:

For the government:

o Organize more information sessions and propaganda events about HIV
and AIDS.
o Strict penalties towards employers who fail to disseminate knowledge
about HIV, AIDS to workers.
o Clear procedure for hospitals and health centers in treating HIV patients
For the employers: Regularly provide employees with adequate information of the
disease.
For the employees: Educate and protect themselves. Have regular health test.

Group 1
Dao My Linh
Vuong Hong Van
Pham Thu Thao