Most firms ignore safety regulations<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A senior health official says only 40 percent of
\nsome 20,000 companies here have complied with the government
\nregulation instructing them to set up occupational health and
\nsafety committees.<\/p>\n
Head of the Directorate of Community Participation at the
\nMinistry of Health, Widyastuti Wibisana said during a seminar on
\noccupational safety here on Thursday that many companies' size
\nand facilities have placed them in the category of companies
\nwhich should have such teams.<\/p>\n
\"The maintenance of workers's health and occupational safety
\nis needed to boost their productivity, and yet their companies
\nfail to meet the stipulation,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The issue of occupational health and safety falls under the
\njurisdiction of the ministries of health and manpower.<\/p>\n
According to ministry of manpower data, in 1994 alone 17,700
\naccidents took place in the work place, killing 300 workers and
\nleaving hundreds disabled. Most of the accidents occurred in the
\nconstruction, transportation and chemical sectors.<\/p>\n
Slamet Ichsan of the manpower ministry said the ministry is
\nresponsible for ensuring that all companies implement measures to
\nensure workers' health and safety. \"Eventually, it's the
\ncompanies' responsibility to implement the measures,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He named several programs that the ministry has set up to
\nencourage companies to comply with the regulation.<\/p>\n
\"We train the companies' workers and management, support
\nrelevant activities, and examine workers' working conditions and
\nfacilities as well as the workers themselves,\" said Slamet who is
\nhead of the Companies' Hygiene of Occupational Health and Safety
\ndepartment.<\/p>\n
He reproached companies which failed to provide workers with
\nthe necessary safety equipment simply to keep production costs
\nlow.<\/p>\n
The 1970 law on occupational health and safety imposes a
\nmaximum penalty of three months in prison or a Rp 100,000
\n(US$42.7) fine on violators.<\/p>\n
The seminar was organized by the University of Indonesia's
\nPost-Graduate Study on Occupational Health and Safety. (31)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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