Systematic measures needed to improve safety on the job<\/p>\n
Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesian companies must take systematic steps to improve on-
\nthe-job safety if the country hopes to reduce the number of
\nworkplace fatalities from its annual level of more than 100,000.<\/p>\n
"Almost every accident on the job is preventable but some
\nentrepreneurs neglect the importance of safety," Roger Moore,
\npresident of the U.S.-based DuPont Safety Resources for the Asia
\nPacific, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
"Indonesian awareness of a safe work environment, therefore,
\nstill needs to be improved," he said.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri called on Indonesian
\ncompanies on Monday to significantly improve the safety of their
\nworkers. She was responding to reports about the increasing
\nnumber of fatalities occurring at the workplace.<\/p>\n
According to a report by the International Labor Organization,
\nthe number of workplace accidents in Indonesia has steadily
\nincreased from about 82,456 in 1999 to 98,902 in 2000 and 104,774
\nin 2001. During the first half of 2002 alone, there were 57,972
\nworkplace accident.<\/p>\n
"A safe working environment can reduce the costs related to
\ninjuries, health problems and property damage. At the same time,
\nsuch environments raise efficiency," Moore said.<\/p>\n
Dupont's business development manager for the Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations, Susanto, said some business owners did
\nnot really care if their employees died or were injured on the
\njob because it was easy to hire new people.<\/p>\n
"They do not realize that when an accident takes place, let's
\nsay a worker gets injured by a machine, it automatically stops
\nthe company's production. This will also delay distribution,"
\nSusanto said. "And it also takes time and money to train a new
\nperson."<\/p>\n
Susanto also said that he had found hotels in Jakarta with
\nlocked emergency exits.<\/p>\n
"When asked what if a fire took place, a hotel employee simply
\nsaid that the doors would be unlocked. In fact, in the middle of
\nsuch an incident how could he think about opening the locked
\ndoors?" asked Susanto.<\/p>\n
And some office buildings use stairways as storage areas, he
\nsaid. "Some building managements keep furniture and other large
\nitems in the emergency exits, so that they cannot be used."<\/p>\n
"Most people still think establishing a safe work environment
\nmeans that they have to buy tools. But in fact, they could simply
\nstart with some very simple and basic steps on safety," Moore
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
These steps, he said, include ensuring adequate light in work
\nareas and wearing gloves when handling chemicals.<\/p>\n
Moore said taking adequate measures to ensure a safe work
\nenvironment could help companies reduce workplace accidents by
\nabout 30 percent per year and increase productivity by 40
\npercent.<\/p>",
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