Young people read vacancy information at the Hanoi Employment Service Centre (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – A forum on occupational safety and hygiene for young workers took place in Hanoi on April 16 in response to annual World Day for Safety and Health at Work (April 28).
The Bureau for Safe Work under the Vietnamese Ministry of Labours, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) organised the event.
Speaking at the forum, Ha Tat Thang, head of the Bureau for Safe Work, said about 1 million Vietnamese reach working age every year. Many of them believe they are not affected by occupational dangers, while employers tend to pay little attention to labourers’ health and safety at work.
He concluded the main reason behind accidents for this group was their limited awareness of occupational risks, adding that they lack negotiation skills and often perform dangerous jobs.
Campaigns aiming to promote work safety for young labourers not only develop a sustainable workforce but also boost links in prevention of dangers facing the group, Thang stressed.
Home to a significant number of labourers aged between 15 and 24, Vietnam has issued several policies to ensure their safety at work. However, youths’ awareness of regulations on workplace safety is still low.
In 2017, 9,000 work-related accidents took place in Vietnam, killing 928 people. An ILO representative said the risk of accidents among young labourers is 40 percent higher than that of the older group.
As part of the forum, students across universities in Hanoi talked to the MoLISA and ILO. They suggested public agencies and employers need to assist young employees in their work.
Labour safety regulations ought to be taught in high schools, they recommended. -VNA
VNA
